Bishop Margaret Wanjiru who is also a Nairobi governor aspirant was on Thursday charged before a Nairobi Magistrate Court with causing malicious damage to property and creating a disturbance.
Wanjiru, who spent the night in custody is accused of intentionally destroying Jubilee Party’s four ballot boxes together with other assorted papers valued at Sh 30,000.
She denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi. According to the prosecutor, Wanjiru, accompanied by a group of 50 rowdy youth, stormed a City Market polling station causing the destruction.
The prosecution urged the Magistrate to deny her bond so as to guarantee smooth and peaceful Jubilee nomination exercise to be completed. An Annonymous source hinted that she might face other charges relating to different offenses later together with others who were not present in court.
Bishop Wanjiru’s lawyer requested the court to consider releasing her, citing that she is a religious leader and a well-known member of the society.
Her lawyer also argued that the prosecution should seek for more time to investigate the matter instead of detaining her.
“The accused is a well -known member of the society and this court can take judicial notice of that, in fact, she is a religious leader hence not a flight risk,” he said.
Magistrate Andayi said the ruling on whether the Bishop will be released will be delivered at 3 pm Thursday, and ordered that she remains in custody until then.
Later in the afternoon, Magistrate Andayi directed that Wanjiru be detained for five days until police investigations into the matter are concluded.
In his Ruling, Adanyi added that Wanjiru has to deposit a Sh500,000 bond and submit to the court two sureties after the five days are over.
In alleviation, the politician/Bishop requested the court to allow her to be detained at the police cells so that she can access her medication.
She was then taken to Kileleshwa police station where she was asked to provide the medical records to prove that she was not feeling well.