Imprisoned governor will ask for bail today

Imprisoned Western Governor Ati Wobiro, the former Western Provincial Administrator Dr Modowa Gumoi and businessman Norman Carl May will ask the Supreme Court for bail today.

The bail application was adjourned from Monday after their lawyer told the court that relevant court documents were yet to be fixed.

They appeared before Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia on Monday however, sought an adjournment to Wednesday, at 1.30pm. This is because copies of the judgment, which were handed down last Friday, did not have the affidavit containing the monies they repaid or restituted to court.

State was not served the bail application on Monday when it went before court.

The three repaid K373,971.68 and produced a copy of the receipt at the 11th hour to the court on Friday when Justice Martin Ipang was about to deliver his sentencing.

A Supreme Court appeal was also filed but lawyers for the three are moving the bail application first.

Bail is of right prior to conviction and in this case, exceptional circumstances must be established to be granted bail.

For the trio, bail is being sought under section 11 of the Bail Act. They are seeking bail after lodging an appeal in the Supreme Court.

The three were convicted on July 26 for misappropriating over K7m. They were also found guilty for conspiring to defraud the state of K7,060,000.

For misappropriating K7,060,000, Justice Ipang sentenced them to 25 years in prison. However, due to the restitution of K373,971.68, the court suspended 15 years, leaving them to serve a remaining term of 10 years.

For their part in conspiring to defraud the state of K7,060,000, they were sentenced to 4 years.

Both imprisonment terms will be served concurrently, meaning they will now serve a total of 10 years.

Author: 
Sally Pokiton