The suspended Senior Principal Magistrate of Kangema Law Courts, Martin Kinyua Mutegi, has failed to appear in court for the second time to enter a plea on bribery allegations after being declared unfit by medical professionals.
On Thursday, July 30, 2026, Chief Magistrate Harrison Barasa was scheduled to hear the plea. However, Kinyua’s lawyer informed the court that the magistrate remains hospitalized, citing medical advice that he is not fit to attend court proceedings. Hospital documents were presented as evidence to support this claim.
The lawyer assured the court that Kinyua would be ready to appear once he recovers and is discharged from the hospital. Consequently, the plea-taking was postponed, with the next mention set for August 19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. for further directions.
Charges Against Magistrate
- Kinyua faces two counts related to receiving bribes, contrary to sections 6(1)(a) and 18(1) and (2) of the Anti-Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016.
- Between July 16 and July 21, 2026, he is alleged to have solicited Ksh170,000 from Peter Njihia Njuguna via probation officer Kandara Julius Irungu Njogu to influence sentencing in Njihia’s criminal case.
- The second count alleges he received Ksh150,000 on July 21, 2026, through the same intermediary for the same purpose.
