Former nominated Senator Joy Gwendo sentenced to prison over fraud :: Kenya

Former nominated Senator Joy Gwendo has been sentenced to a two year jail term after she was found guilty of fraud.

Gwendo failed to honour a plea bargain she entered into with the state to settle a Sh1.7 million debt and abuse of office.

The former lawmaker had pleaded guilty to abuse of office charges on August 6, 2018 before Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.

"..It is noteworthy that she executed a plea bargaining agreement yet she was sure that she could not honour the same. She was hoodwinking the court and therefore lied," the judge ruled.

The court found Gwendo dishonest and ordered that she be jailed without the option of a fine due to “hoodwinking the court.”

In her mitigation, Gwendo had told the court that she was remorseful and chose to enter into a plea bargain.

She was however denied the right to appeal with court saying it had considered the mitigation.

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In January this year, the former nominated senator was accused of forging a Sh200, 000 cheque drawn from a Kenya Commercial Bank account in favour of Kivuli Development Initiative and signed by Willy Kipkorir Bett.

An abuse of office charge also stated that she used her position as a state official to confer a benefit of Sh2 million.

"On the 23rd day of October 2016 at Chiga Parish in Kisumu East within Kisumu County used her position as a State officer to confer herself Ksh.2,226,800 the property of Kisumu East Cotton Growers Cooperative Society through Kivali Development Initiative," the charge sheet read.

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