A senior police officer stunned the Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday by alleging that JamboPay (Webtribe Ltd) Director Danson Muchemi attempted to bribe former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko with between Sh4 million and Sh5 million daily to secure a county revenue collection contract.
Testifying before Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki, Chief Inspector Kiptoo Kisorio currently serving as the Sub-County Police Commander in Hulugho, Garissa County detailed a 2019 sting operation carried out in Mtwapa.
“On January 10, 2019, around 11:00 a.m., I was summoned by the Deputy DCIO Mtwapa to his office, where I met Governor Mike Sonko,” Kisorio told the court.
According to Kisorio, Sonko had reported that Muchemi was trying to bribe him to retain JamboPay’s contract for revenue collection in Nairobi County. The governor sought police help to secretly record a conversation during a meeting at his Kanamai home in Kilifi County.
An Occurrence Book (OB) entry OB 35/10/01/2019 was filed at Mtwapa Police Station. Officers then provided Sonko with a Sony ICD-PX 470 audio recorder (serial number 1161788) and coached him on its use. The police remained hidden during the meeting.
“We instructed the governor to record the entire conversation. The meeting lasted a while. At one point, an unidentified person entered briefly and left. Afterward, Sonko gave us the recorder,” Kisorio said.
Back at the station, Kisorio reviewed the audio, which runs for 57 minutes and 16 seconds. He told the court that in the recording, Muchemi allegedly promised Sonko Sh4–5 million daily if he cooperated and further claimed that former Governor Evans Kidero had made Sh7 billion from a similar deal.
Kisorio sought permission to play the recording in court as part of his evidence. However, Magistrate Ondieki adjourned the proceedings and scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., when the audio will be played in open court.
“We believe the audio will reveal the extent of corruption surrounding the revenue collection tender,” Kisorio added.
The officer was testifying in the Sh20 million corruption case against Sonko, who is facing 11 graft-related charges. Kisorio is the fourth defence witness called since Sonko was found to have a case to answer
