Woman gets 15-month jail term for texting MP

By SOPHIAH MUTHONI

A 44-year-old woman claiming to have had an intimate extramarital affair with a former MP has been convicted to a 15-month jail term.

The woman, a former employee of the legislator was sent to jail for sending what the court described as offensive text messages to her employer.

Eunice Wanjira Njira, who worked at Kirinyaga Construction Company associated with former MP Ephraim Maina and alleged to have ‘shared a bed’ with him was handed the sentence last week.

She had been charged with five counts of sending offensive text messages to the former MP contrary to the Communication Act No 2 of 1998, at the Kibera Law Courts.

Ms Njira, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is said to have committed the offences between November 23, 2012 and December 29, 2012.

Eng Maina was one of the prosecution witnesses and he confirmed to the court that Ms Njira was employed by the construction company of which he is chairman.

The court heard that the accused, after resigning from the company, was not paid her dues. Her texts to the former MP were an effort to compel Ephraim to intervene in the matter. In the texts, Eunice threatened to expose an alleged affair the two had. She alleged that the two shared intimate times at a hotel as well as at his marital home.

She also threatened to expose alleged video images taken at the Serena Hotel of the former MP with the accused as well as with other ladies.

The court, presided over by Justice B. Ochoi heard that Wanjira had, on five different occasions sent the former MP offensive text messages. These messages, the court determined could have caused intimidation and annoyance to the former MP.

Eng Maina denied the claims saying he used the Serena hotel for its gym facilities. One of the texts sent to the former MP said the accused had involved the then speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende. In the text, as presented to the court, the accused was thanking Marende for his help in talking to the former MP on her behalf.

Mr Maina told the court that the texts lowered his public image considering the fact he was at the time contesting for a senatorial position in Nyeri. He told the court that the accused was demanding money from him but his position at the construction company was just that of a chairman and he was not involved in paying the employees.

Maina told the court the accused had no reason to involve the speaker in a matter that did not involve Parliament.

The accused admitted to sending the text messages but told the court that it did not occur to her that the former MP would interpret the messages as he did.

The court found her guilty of all counts.