A retired Magistrate has testified in a Nairobi Court how a hotel owner allegedly gave Ksh7 million in bribes to former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko to facilitate the approval and construction of a controversial property in the the capital city
Appearing before Milimani Law Courts Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki on July 17, 2025, retired Senior Principal Magistrate Henry Nyakweba narrated how in 2018, while stationed at the Mombasa Law Courts, took the plea of one Praful Kumar Premchand Savla, the proprietor of Grand Manor Hotel in Nairobi.
Nyakweba, who retired in 2023 from Embu Law Courts, told the court that “In the year 2018, I was serving as a Principal Magistrate at Mombasa Law Courts. I took the plea of one Praful Kumar in anti-corruption case number 10 of 2018.”
The retired judicial officer explained that the case involved three bribery-related counts under the Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016.
“Count One was offering a bribe contrary to Section 5(1), Count Two was giving a bribe, and Count Three was also giving a bribe,” Nyakweba testified.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly committed the offence on August 20, 2018, at Kanamai in Kikambala, Kilifi County, where he offered Ksh5 million to Governor Sonko and later gave an additional Ksh 2 million, to ensure the continued construction of a building on land parcel LR.91/239 in Nairobi.
Nyakweba told the court that “I granted the accused bond, which I believe he paid, but before the matter could be heard, I was transferred from Mombasa. I am only aware of the plea-taking process and have not seen the full court file.”
When asked by DPP state counsel Wesley Nyamache whether he knew if Kumar was part of the current Ksh20 million graft case against Sonko, the retired magistrate said he was not aware.
“I cannot confirm if the accused in that file formed part of this case. I have not seen the complete case file to know whether he was found guilty or not, l only saw the charge sheet.”
The former Magistrate however produced the charge sheet of Kumar in court as evidence in the corruption case against Sonko
Meanwhile, hearing of the case has been postponed to Monday July 21, 2025 at 9:30am when a senior police officer attached to DCI headquarters is expected to testify.
