A Nyeri voter who moved to court seeking nullification of Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua’s election victory has been committed to a one-month jail awaiting mention of his case on April 16.
This is after the petitioner Michael Gichuru failed to pay KSh 9.5 fees awarded to Gachagua by the Nyeri High Court as part of election petition cost after his win was upheld in 2018.
The petitioner was an agent of some sort for the parliamentary aspirant Phyllis Christabel Maranga on the election day.
Court registrar Nelly Kariuki issued notice to show cause why Gichuru should not be committed to civil sentence after which he was sentenced on Monday, March 18.
On his part however, the defendant faulted the court’s decision to send him behind bars saying the matter proceeded without his knowledge even though he had promised to pay in six months time.
Court documents show Gichuru’s lawyer was directed to pay for his maintenance in prison at a fixed monthly rate of KSh 1,800.