Raila defends Nyakang’o terms arrest a witch-hunt for her bravery

Azimio la Umoja party leader Raila Odinga has condemned the arrest and subsequent arraignment in court of Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o terming it politically motivated witch-hunt.

In a statement, Mr Odinga claimed that the arrest of Ms Nyakang’o was ‘always coming’ in light of her determination to act professionally and with integrity.

“It was only a matter of when, not if, Ms Nyakang’o was going to be sent packing on frivolous and trumped up charges to create room for a user friendly holder of the office, who will support and scrutinise the looting currently underway,” Mr Odinga said in a statement.

The party, Mr Odinga said, “encourages Ms Nyakang’o to remain strong in the defense of integrity, professionalism and the dictates of good governance.”

“Her tribulations are thus politically motivated witch hunt, which the authorities will find it difficult to convince Kenyans about, at a time Kenyans are wreathing under full blown corruption,” said

Mr Odinga said that Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party will stand with Ms Nyakang’o and offer any help it can in the interest of the war against corruption in the country.

Read: Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o faces fraud charges

Ms Nyakang’o was on Tuesday charged with four fraud related offenses before a Mombasa court.

This follows her arrest in Mombasa Tuesday morning in connection with a complaint made against her in 2016.

The charges were approved by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a letter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations on November 30.

Ms Nyakang’o was charged with falsely defrauding Ms Claudia Mueni Mutungi Sh29 million.

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