BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
The trial of Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua who has been charged with acquiring more than Sh7.3 billion suspected to be proceeds of crime has been pushed to September 5.
Gachagua, who was on Sunday picked by UDA presidential candidate William Ruto as his running mate, has been charged with nine other people and several companies.
The matter came up for mention on Tuesday and the MP was absent and the court was informed that he was attending the burial of his elder brother in Nyeri.
The court was told that the prosecution has lined up 44 witnesses to testify against Gachagua and his co-accused.
The MP has denied the charges and is out after depositing cash bail of Sh12 million.
Among the charges is that he and Rapid Medical Suppliers Ltd acquired Sh6 million from the Nyeri county government on December 29, 2014 for the supply of Dialysis machines to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital.
He is also alleged to have received Sh104 million from Bungoma county government suspected to be proceeds of crime between January 2015 and June 2019.
On conflict of interest, the MP allegedly acquired indirect interest in a contract for the construction of Njathaini primary school, which was funded by Mathira CDF. The contract, according to the prosecution, was awarded to Skytop Agencies owned by Julianne Jahenda Makaa, a close associate.
The prosecution alleged that the transactions were meant to conceal movements of the money because it is believed to be proceeds of crime.
