MP Rigathi Gachagua Denies Fraudulently Receiving Sh7.3 Billion, Freed on Sh12 Million Bail

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua was on Monday arraigned in court after spending the weekend in police custody.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi at Milimani law courts, the MP was charged with unlawfully receiving more than Sh7 billion.

Gachagua, who was arrested last on Friday, was charged with conspiracy to commit an offense of corruption, fraudulent acquisition of public property, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime, and conflict of interest.

He was charged alongside nine others not before the court, including William Wahome Mwangi, Anne Nduta Ruo, Julianne Jahenda Makaa, Samuel Murimi, Grace Wambui Kariuki, Lawrence Kimaru, Irene Wambui Ndigiriri, David Reuben, and a company M/s Rapid Medical Supplies.

The charge sheet stated that on diverse dates between 2013 and 2020 in Nairobi, Gachagua fraudulently received Sh7,330,011,265 through three bank accounts at Rafiki Micro-Finance bank while knowing that the monies were proceeds of crime.

He was charged that on December 29th, 2014 in Nairobi, jointly with others not before the court, he fraudulently acquired Sh6 million public funds for the supply of dialysis machines to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital.

Gachagua was also charged with money laundering for receiving Sh104,821,205 from Bungoma County Government between January 2018 and June 2019, with intent to unlawfully dispose of the money. He is also alleged to have receives Sh7,583,505 from Kwale County Government with intent to unlawfully dispose of the money.

Gachagua pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on Sh12 million cash bail with an alternative of Sh25 million bond.  He was further ordered to surrender his passport to the court and barred from contacting witnesses in the case.