Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura Charged with Stealing Sh5.3 Million

Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura was on Friday arraigned in court for allegedly stealing over Sh5 million.

Mutura appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu where he denied charges of stealing by a public servant.

He is accused of fraudulently including his name in a number of county travel lists and pocketing money without traveling.

“On diverse dates between the 1st day of February 2021 and 28th February 2022 in Nairobi City County, being the speaker of the County Assembly stole Sh5,348,984 the property of the County Government of Nairobi which came into possession by virtue of your employment,” the charge sheet reads in part.

Mutura pleaded not guilty and was released on Sh500,000 cash bail, with an alternative bond of Sh1 million.

The speaker’s lawyer urged the court to free him, arguing that his arrest was merely meant to embarrass him.

The magistrate directed that the case be mentioned on May 16th, and prohibited Speaker Mutura from interfering with investigations.

Mutura spent Thursday night at Muthaiga Police Station, where he was held following interrogations at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.

Mutura has termed his arrest and prosecution as politically instigated due to his opposition to the extension of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) term and support for Deputy President William Ruto, who is eyeing the presidency.