A Nairobi court has issued an arrest warrant for Antony Manyara, the president of the Kenya University Students Organization (KUSO), over allegations of attempting to extort Ksh 1.03 million from a businesswoman by falsely claiming he could influence a court ruling.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego issued the warrant on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, after Manyara failed to attend court proceedings where Justice Daniel Musinga, President of the Court of Appeal, was set to testify.
The accused is alleged to have demanded USD 6,750 (approximately Ksh 1.03 million) from Mary Wagaki Muthumbi under the pretense that he could secure a favorable three-judge bench for her case at the Court of Appeal.
According to the charge sheet, Manyara allegedly claimed that he had been sent by Justice Musinga to influence the formation of the bench and to secure approval for Muthumbi’s appeal to be heard out of time.
The prosecution claims that Manyara knew the information he provided was false.
On Tusdya morning, Justice Musinga arrived in court to testify but could not proceed as Manyara had failed to show up.
The prosecution requested the arrest warrant, stating that Manyara had not provided a valid reason for his absence.
Magistrate Alego granted the request, ordering his arrest and subsequent appearance in court on December 20, 2024.
Manyara has denied the charges, asserting that he did not attempt to extort money or falsely claim connections to Justice Musinga. He is out on Ksh 100,000 cash bail.
The case will be mentioned on December 20,2024
