By Betty Luke
Former Isiolo Speaker Mohammed Tupi is temporarily off the hook in a graft related case where he is accused of receiving Sh40, 000 bribe from Malka Constructions Limited Director Waqo Gufu to award Sh28 million tender in 2016.
Mr Tupi alongside his then aide Joseph Gatama Gurach and Assembly clerk Salad Boru are said to have received a total of Sh140, 000 inducement to influence award of the tender to the company.
Mr Gufu, Mr Tupi, Mr Boru did not appear in court last week over health concerns with Isiolo Chief Magistrate Lucy Mutai ordering them to present themselves on May 30.
Only Mr Gatama, who took plea and was released on Sh200, 000 bond, was present during the last Tuesday’s court proceedings.
He reportedly on diverse dates between May 26, 2016 and June same year, as member of County Assembly tender evaluation committee used his office to get Sh41, 000 from the company to award the tender.
The other accused persons did not appear in court Monday despite court ordering so.
Their lawyers Zainab Jirma, Mercy Mwinzi and Carolyne Kamende told the court that two of them (Clerk and Mr Gufu) had contracted Covid-19 with Mr Tupi yet to recover.
The clerk was readmitted last Saturday after discharge from Reliance Hospital where he had been admitted for three days.
“He was brought by a relative to the casualty department and was readmitted for further investigations and examinations,” a letter by Dr Joseph Daniel dated May 28 read in part.
Ms Kamende said Mr Gufu was currently on medication at Healthways Medical Centre after testing positive for Covid-19.
The former Speaker who is seeking Isiolo South MP seat on Jubilee ticket allegedly received Sh40, 000 inducement from Mr Gufu on diverse dates between December 2015 and January 2016 and also uttered a false document submitted by the company official.
Among the false documents that Mr Gufu allegedly submitted on May 20, 2016 during the tendering process were tax compliance and National Construction Authority certificates.
There were fears that Mr Tupi’s arraignment over the charges would have opened the lid for possible disqualification by the electoral agency from the race to unseat MP Abdi Koropu which he appears to be among the frontrunners.
