Even the handshake couldn’t save former Senator Joy Adhiambo Gwendo. She becomes the first high profile person to be successfully jailed by DPP Noordin Haji. Gwendo will serve two years in prison after she was found guilty of abuse of office and fraud.
On Friday, the court ordered that she be jailed without the option of a fine because of ‘hoodwinking the court.’
“On the 23rd day of October 2016 at Chiga Parish in Kisumu East within Kisumu County used her position as a State officer to confer herself Ksh.2,226,800 the property of Kisumu East Cotton Growers Cooperative Society through Kivali Development Initiative,” the charge sheet reads.
Sentencing the former legislator, Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti said she was a dishonest person, especially after failing to honour a plea bargain requiring her to return the money as part of settling the case.
But who is Joy Gwendo and how comes she failed to raise sh 1.7 million that would have bought her freedom? Gwendo came into the limelight in the aftermath of the 2013 elections. Being a Luo, she had made a name for herself by bravely campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his TNA Party.
The Party rewarded her with a nomination to the Senate. It is during this time that she became cocky and behaved as if the world owed her something.
According to most people, Gwendo was a party animal during her time in the Senate. At one time, she was rumored to be having an affair with then Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko. She howevere denied this rumors during an interview with a local newspaper.
Gwendo surprised many people when she revealed that she was dating Thomas Mbewa, a married man. She also revealed she was ready to be his second wife.
In 2016, a video emerged online of Gwendo hurling insults at her secretary. She also hit her with a shoe and told her to go to the media.
The Secretary just told her “God will avenge for me!” Is this payback time?