Suspended Kangema Magistrate Faces Bribery Charges Over Sh150,000
Kangema Magistrate Martin Kinyua Mutegi denies bribery charges after being arraigned over a Sh150,000 alleged bribe to influence a criminal case outcome.
By John Mtongoi Newsroom
August 24, 2026
2 min read
Suspended Kangema Senior Principal Magistrate Martin Kinyua Mutegi appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court charged with allegedly accepting a Sh150,000 bribe to sway a criminal case ruling.
Mutegi, alongside Kangema Probation Officer Julius Irungu Njogu, faced the court following a High Court ruling permitting the prosecution to proceed. The magistrate pleaded not guilty to charges that include receiving a financial advantage, violating Sections 6(1) and 18(1) of the Anti-Bribery Act.
The court set Mutegi's bail at Sh800,000 with a similar surety or an alternative cash bail of Sh400,000. The prosecution did not oppose bail but the presiding Chief Magistrate Harrison Barasa Omwima cautioned Mutegi against witness interference during the trial.
Background of the Case
The charges stem from an Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) operation in July, which led to the arrest of Mutegi and Njogu in Kangema, Murang’a County. Investigations began after a businessman, Peter Njihia Njuguna, who had been convicted of obtaining money by false pretences, complained of being solicited for a bribe to secure a favorable sentence.
According to prosecutors, Njogu requested Sh170,000 on behalf of Mutegi on July 16. The businessman had been convicted on July 2 and was due for sentencing on July 22, when EACC agents arrested the officials during a handover of Sh150,000 in marked bills.
Legal Proceedings and Judiciary Response
Mutegi initially sought to halt his prosecution through the High Court, which briefly suspended proceedings. However, the court later allowed the case to continue, leading to his arraignment. His lawyers had attempted to delay the plea pending the High Court's decision, but the prosecution opposed this.
The Judiciary has suspended Mutegi pending the outcome of both criminal and disciplinary processes. Chief Justice Martha Koome reaffirmed the Judiciary’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, emphasizing Mutegi’s right to due process.
Njogu, charged separately with requesting a financial advantage, was released on Sh400,000 cash bail or Sh800,000 bond. The case is scheduled for further directions on September 7, 2026.
