On Thursday, June 25, Grace Wakhungu was sentenced to 69 years in jail over several counts o fraud, including the Ksh300 million National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) scandal.
She was sentenced alongside Sirisia MP John Waluke, who was slapped with 67 years in jail unless he pays over a billion shillings in fine over the same, and several other counts of fraud.
In the face of the media, the lawyers who were representing the two announced that they had filed a motion for appeal, while in the background the family was planning otherwise, to find the money to pay the fines and escape a jail term.
Read: Cumulatively Waluke Will Spend 67 Years In Jail If Not Able To Raise Fine In Fraud Case – Judiciary
Kahawa Tungu can now authoritatively report that Grace Wakhungu was able to raise Ksh500 million, which has already been paid.
The money, according to sources, was raised over a two-hour family lunch meeting last week, to save the old woman from going to jail.
Asked where she had obtained the money, this writer learns that she said it was “from a family account”.
Who is Grace Wakhungu?
Grace Wakhungu is born in a family of sixteen siblings who now rank among the most successful in Kenya and Uganda made up of top notch lawyers, engineers, politicians, surgeons, journalists, educationists, athletes and diplomats.
Grace Wakhungu is a sister to former Kenyan Vice President Moody Awori, both children of the first Anglican Church of Kenya Canon, Jeremiah Awori.
Her sister, Agrrey Awori, is a lead economist in Uganda and once served as an MP and a cabinet minister.
Grace Wakhungu’s daughter, Prof Judy Wakhungu is a former Environment Cabinet Secretary and currently Kenya’s ambassador to France.
Read: LSK President Havi Under Fire For Terming Waluke’s Conviction As ‘Fraudulent’
She is also the sister to Dr Mary Okello the first female manager at Barclays Bank and founder director of Makini Schools. A couple of years ago she sold the schools for over Ksh1 billion.
Her brother Dennis Awori is Kenya’s former ambassador to Japan, and a former chairman of Toyota EA, managing director of Lonrho EA and also general manager of CMC in Kenya and Uganda. He also served as the chairman of Kenya Airways, among other several companies in Kenya.
Other siblings include Christine Hayanga, a lawyer married to Justice Andrew Hayanga, Henry Awori, one-time Kenya’s Commissioner of Insurance, Willis Awori, the HR Director, ICIPE, Engineer Ernest Awori, Winfred Odera, Margaret Openda, Wycliffe Awori and the Late Joshua Awori.
She is aunt to the current Absa Bank CEO Jeremy Awori.
With such people surrounding her, and many more not mentioned here, the slightly over Ksh1 billion fine could look like a lighter duty to the family, as compared to the jail term.
Most probably she will complete the fine this week, and walk home as if nothing happened.
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