By John Mugendi
Chuka Court has dismissed a case in which Marimanti MCA Susan Ngugi had been accused of contravening Covid-19 health protocols.
Ms Ngugi who is seeking Tharaka Nithi County women’s representative seat in 2022 was arrested at Kathwana town on April 21 last year on claims that she had convened a big crowd of people to issue them with face masks without following the social distancing protocols.
In his ruling on Friday, Chief Magistrate John Njoroge said the witnesses including the transferred Igambang’ombe Deputy County Commissioner Mr Fred Masinjila and the investigating officer gave totally contradicting figures of the number of people said to have attended the meeting.
He said there is no way that a witness who claimed to have been at the scene can say about 400 people attended the meeting and the other witness claim they were about 20.
“The witnesses gave a very contradicting figure on the number of people who are said to have attended the meeting and therefore the court could not reconcile,” said Mr Njoroge.
He said the police did not produce even a single face mask in court as an exhibit and that the vehicle that they claimed had carried the face masks was not produced too and the registration number given does not exist.
Marimanti MCA Susan Ngugi while distributing face masks at Kathwana on April 21, 2020 when she was arrested and charged for flouting Covid-19 protocols. She was on November 26, 2021 acquitted of the charges. PHOTO/PRESS POINT
Mr Njoroge also noted that while one of the witnesses said that that she saw Ms Ngugi’s aides distributing the face masks, no aide was produced in court.
He also noted that though the former DCC said he arrested the MCA addressing media after completing the exercise, no journalist was interrogated on the matter or even arrested for being part of the group that had reportedly contravened the law.
Addressing journalists outside the court in the company of her supporters, Ms Ngugi said the arrest was politically motivated and that she will not be cowed by threats to change her decision for seeking the County MP’s post.
She said the incumbent Beatrice Nkatha should prepare to face her in elections.
