Court allows youngest MP to return to his home county to sit for exams

Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi yesterday got a reprieve after a Meru court allowed him to return to his home county to sit for his university end-semester examinations.

Through lawyer Peter Kaimba, the youngest MP successfully filed an application before Meru chief magistrate Hannah Ndung'u.

Kaimba had a hard time to convince the court that the MP is a student at the Mt Kenya University supposed to sit for his end-semester exams at the institution's Nkubu campus.

The lawyer tabled a Memo from the institution's Associate Dean of Student, Amedeo Gikunda and an Examination attendance card which showed he was to sit for the exams in the bachelor of education which was scheduled to have started yesterday to December 8.

"We are filing this as a certificate of agency to have the MP access limited place in the county so that he can be able to do his exams at a campus in Nkubu Town which is within Meru County.

"We have supporting annexures from university and an exam card to authenticate he is a student at Mt Kenya University who is supposed to sit for examinations," Kaimba said.

The magistrate allowed the application but still restricted the MP from touring his constituency during the time of his examinations since Nkubu town is in Imenti South constituency.

The court also ruled that the defense serve the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

The ODPP was represented by state counsel James Kinyua, who did not oppose the application.

Last week after Mwirigi was released on Sh500, 000 cash bail the court further banished him from his constituency and county for two weeks.

This was after he denied two counts of interfering with police in execution of their duties when he stormed a police roadblock on November 26.

While appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Abuya after spending a night in custody, the 24-year-old legislator denied obstructing police constable Mohamed Ndemo at Muchuune near Mikinduri market in Tigania East.

 He also pleaded not guilty to a charge of aiding a motorcyclist in the same location who was under police custody to escape.

Ms Abuya asked the MP to stay away from the area for 14 days to allow police complete investigations into the incident.

Prosecutor Claire Muriithi had asked the court to have the MP held for the same period so as not to interfere with the investigations.

Ms Muriithi who relied on an affidavit sworn by Investigating Officer Nick Odhiambo said Igembe South was tense and the MP needed to be kept in custody for peace.

The magistrate ruled that the charges the MP was facing are serious with a count one attracting a fine of up to Sh1 million or a 10-year jail term.

Mwirigi is said to have interfered in police duties during the incident on the Meru-Mikinduri-Maua Highway.

The first time MP together with his counterparts Rahim Dawood and Eala's Mpuru Aburi have been steering a crusade against alleged harassment of hundreds of operators of unlicensed saloon cars operating as matatus.