A Nairobi court has issued an arrest warrant for Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi after he failed to appear in court to face criminal charges linked to an alleged fake abduction and a land fraud case.
Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi of the Milimani Law Courts issued the warrant on Wednesday, saying Koimburi had skipped a scheduled appearance alongside two co-accused individuals—Peter Kiratu and a man identified only as Njuguna, alias Njugush.
The three were due in court to enter pleas over accusations of conspiring to obstruct justice. Their case is now set to proceed on 5 August.
Allegations of a Staged Abduction
The charges stem from a bizarre incident in late May, when Koimburi was reportedly abducted in Juja’s Mugutha area. Authorities now claim the abduction was fabricated to shield the MP from arrest and prosecution over separate land fraud allegations.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Koimburi was due to appear before the Kiambu Law Courts on 25 May to answer to four counts related to fraudulent land transactions. But instead of attending court, he was said to have gone missing.
Four individuals—including Kanyenya-ini Ward MCA Grace Nduta Wairimu, Peter Kiratu Mbari, David Macharia Gatana, and Cyrus Muhia—are accused of orchestrating the fake abduction. They pleaded not guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to defeat justice.
Press Conference from Hospital
Prosecutors allege that Koimburi fuelled the deception further when he appeared in a YouTube video from Karen Hospital on 7 June, claiming he had been kidnapped and tortured by unidentified assailants. Investigators believe the story was fabricated.
“The intention was to stir public panic and distract from his pending criminal charges,” a source familiar with the prosecution told this reporter, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
False Police Report
Kiratu is also facing a separate charge of giving false information to police. On 25 May, he reported to Mugutha Police Station that Koimburi had been kidnapped by masked men after attending a church service. The incident was officially recorded in the station’s Occurrence Book, despite police later determining it was not true.
The alleged deception has added fuel to an already politically charged case, with public concern growing over the accountability of elected officials.
Accused Cooperating, Says State
State prosecutor Victor Owiti told the court he had no objection to releasing the four previously arrested suspects on bond, noting they had already been granted bail of KSh 300,000 and had been cooperative with police.
Defence lawyers echoed that, saying the accused had complied with all legal procedures and would continue to do so.
Still, the absence of Koimburi and his co-accused on Wednesday has now complicated the legal proceedings, with Magistrate Ekhubi making it clear that justice will not be delayed by no-shows.
The next court date is set for early August, but for now, one question lingers over Juja’s political landscape: where is George Koimburi?