Waititu and Wife Wangari’s Legal Battle Takes Another Turn as Court Postpones Sentencing
Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his wife Susan Wangari are staying put in custody after a court in Milimani put the brakes on proceedings to figure out the best way to go about handing down a sentence now that they’ve been convicted of money-laundering.
Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Harrison Barasa put off the case until next October to sort out a disagreement between the prosecution and defence over whether the pair should face individual sentencing or have their case treated as one – as they are a couple.
The row broke out after the case went back to magistrate’s court following a High Court decision back in October, that had overturned earlier not guilty verdicts on money-laundering charges and found them guilty.
Court Seeks High Court Directions on Waititu Sentencing
Barasa said they’d need to go back to the High Court before they could even think about moving forward with handing down a sentence.
“After thinking it over” the judge said “we’ve decided to send the file off to the High Court through the Deputy Registrar asking for some guidance”
The decision came after the prosecution and defence butted heads over how sentencing should happen following the High Court ruling.
Ferdinand Waititu, his wife Susan Wangari and their co-accused Charles Chege Mbuthia were all in court at the time, getting a bit of a reprieve while they wait for further instructions.
Defence and Prosecution Disagree Over Sentencing
The defence argued that the three shouldn’t be assessed for sentencing on charges on which they’d previously been acquitted as individuals.
The prosecution however just aren’t having it – saying that the High Court gave them the go-ahead to press on with mitigation and that should give the judge the green light to hand down a sentence.
The disagreement basically put the breaks on further action in the case and now the judge needs some clarification before they can even think about moving forward with sentencing.
The Waititus and Mbuthia will be staying in custody while the court waits for further guidance on how to proceed.
High Court Overturns Earlier Money-Laundering Acquittals
Following a High Court judgement that came down on October 14, 2026, the judges have basically thrown out those earlier acquittals on money-laundering charges
Now the whole thing gets sent back to the lower court where all parties are still arguing over what happens next on the sentencing front – ie. what mitigation & sentencing is justified
So in effect this High Court decision is now setting the scene for the next bit of the case but the sentencing process is currently on ice – waiting for some clarity before it can move forward
Court Orders Release of Wangari’s Mobile Phone
Meanwhile Susan Wangari is trying to get her hands on her mobile phone which has been locked away at Lang’ata Women’s Prison since her conviction
Her lawyer pointed out to the court that the phone had still been in her client’s possession at the time of her arrest and it’s not been seized as evidence in any case
Wangari’s lawyer argued that the device is actually pretty important for her business, that she needs it to keep things running
The lawyer also made the point that it should go to her client’s daughter Monica Njeri rather than being handed over to Wangari herself, that seemed to make sense to the state prosecutor who didn’t oppose the request
Court then granted permission for the phone to be handed over to Njeri
When Will Waititu and His Wife Return to Court?
The next hearing’s penciled in for October 27 2026 – only because the lower court needs some further guidance from the High Court on how to proceed with the sentencing.
Next time round the court will hopefully get some clarity on what’s going to happen next but until then the sentencing is on hold
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Waititu and Wife Wangari’s Legal Battle Takes Another Turn as Court Postpones Sentencing
