I paid Sh300,000 to get KDF job, man says

Sgt Andrew Muoko Mutua before the DOD Court martial in 78 Tank Battalion Isiolo yesterday. [Ali Abdi, Standard]

A youth from Kirinyaga yesterday told a court martial at 78 Tank Battalion in Isiolo how a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier allegedly demanded Sh300,000 with a promise to recruit him in the military.

Edwin Kinyua, 21, claimed that his father, Kinyua Mureithi deposited the money in the account of Sergeant Andrew Muoki Mutua shortly after KDF advertised for recruitment in December 2019.

The session that was open to the media was presided over by visiting Isiolo Chief Magistrate Samuel Mwangi and four senior military jurors.

Mutua was charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretence under Section 133, 1 (b) of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) Act, 2012 (that is similar to Section 139 of the Penal code) from two civilians on diverse dates in December 2019.

Mutua, based at Department of Defense headquarters in Nairobi was charged with falsely obtaining Sh300,000 from Mureithi and Sh180,000 from Kabweri Nelson Mandela. He allegedly demanded the money from Mandela with a promise to recruit him in the military.

During cross-examination by the defencwe lawyer Manasses Obetto for the accused, Kinyua said despite not having documentary evidence, he can attest to the fact that the money was deposited in the Mutua’s Cooperative Bank account.

Filled deposit slips

“I went with my father to the bank. I am the one who filled in the deposit slips and we obtained the confirmation slip,” Mandela told the court.

He denied framing the accused alongside Wachira Mwigwe, another KDF soldier who is his (Mutua) uncle.

Mureithi said he did not meet the accused but they talked on phone when he asked him to hasten the deposit of the money which he did on December 7, 2019.

He told the court he was shocked when his son was not recruited in the military. “I am very disappointed and frustrated as my son did not get the job and I did not get my money back. I borrowed the money and even attending the court sessions is too expensive for me,” said Mureithi.

The last witness, an investigation officer from the military, was indisposed, forcing the court to adjourn to today.