Court Releases Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu on Sh5 Million Bond

Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu was on Tuesday evening arraigned at Milimani Law Courts following her dramatic arrest earlier in the day.

Appearing before Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, Mwilu was charged with among others abuse of office, tax evasion and forgery.

She was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday afternoon was released on a Sh5 million bond. She was also ordered to appear in court on Wednesday for the continuation of the proceedings.

Mwilu is accused of using her office as Judge of the Appellate Court to improperly confer a benefit of Sh12 million to herself at the collapsed Imperial Bank Headquarters in Westlands between August 15th and October 23rd, 2013. 

The Lady Justice is also facing accusations of unlawful failure to pay taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). The charge sheet shows the instances of failure to pay taxes were separate land purchases worth Sh3.1 million, Sh58,000, Sh2.4 million and Sh3.6 million.

She is also charged with uttering a false document and forgery contrary to different sections of the Penal Code.

She was represented in court by lawyers John Khaminwa, Senator James Orengo, Okongo Omogeni, Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr among others.