Man to spend two years in jail for voting twice

By Lucianne Limo

Mr Daniel Nyakundi walked into a courtroom as a witness on Thursday morning. But the moment he stepped out of the same room he was a felon.

Nyakundi, who was called in to testify on behalf of‚ former Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa in an election petition, was on Friday jailed for two years without an option of fine.

Nyakundi was arraigned before Nairobi Principal Magistrate Lucy Mbugua and pleaded guilty to the offence of voting more than once in an election petition.

The charges read that on March 4, 2013,  at Kaloleni Primary School polling station of Makadara Constituency, he unlawfully voted more than once in the just ended parliamentary election. A shocked Nyakundi pleaded with the court to set him free, saying he had a family that depends on him. The Magistrate said the offence was serious and that the accused must face the law and that he will serve as an example to others.

On Thursday, Nyakundi was arrested after admitting in court to voting twice for the Member of National Assembly in Makadara Constituency.

Justice Richard Mwongo ordered that Nyakundi be arrested forthwith on his own admission of guilt and investigation be carried out immediately.

The court also directed that officials of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission at Kaloleni polling station be investigated, with the view of establishing who presented Nyakundi with two ballot papers.