Mathe wa Ngara denied bail, co-defendant released

JKIA Judge Renee Kitangwa has denied bail to Nancy Kigunzu, also known as Mathe wa Ngara, while her co-accused, David Ochieng and Christopher Odipo, were granted bail of Kes1 million with a similar surety.

Ochieng, represented by lawyer Moses Dagaye alongside Odipo, initially offered to testify against Kigunzu but later withdrew his offer. On August 19, he told the court that he was only a taxi driver at the time of his arrest by the Anti-Narcotics Unit and the Transnational Organized Crime Unit.

Ochieng had said at the time: “I am willing to help the government obtain all necessary evidence.”

The three suspects were arrested on August 9 at Georgina Apartments in Juja, Kiambu County, where police said they seized 18.3 kilograms of cannabis worth Kes.6 million. They were charged on August 12 with drug trafficking and conspiracy to traffic drugs.

Ochieng and Odipo pleaded not guilty, while Mathe wa Ngara admitted to human trafficking but denied being involved in any conspiracy.

The bail hearing, originally scheduled for August 19, was postponed because the pre-bail report was not ready. The case was re-mentioned on August 22, which confirmed that the report had been provided to both the prosecution and the defense.

Public Prosecutor Allen Mulama opposed Kigunzu’s bail, citing her previous conviction for dealing in narcotics, which resulted in a fine of Kes.500,000 or one year imprisonment. He also noted that Kigunzu is involved in another pending case from August 2023, in which she faces charges relating to narcotics worth Kes.18.3 million.

Kigunzu, represented by lawyer Sophie Nekesa, has 14 days to appeal the court’s decision to deny her bail.