By Andrew Kariuki
Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga has once again failed to appear before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, citing illness, marking the second time he has been absent from proceedings related to alleged forgery and fraud charges.
Wanga was initially scheduled to take plea on February 6, 2026, but did not attend court after his lawyers informed the court that he had undergone surgery at the time.
When the matter came up on Monday, March 2, 2026, before Chief Magistrate Harrison Barasa, the defence told the court that Wanga was still unwell and unable to attend proceedings.
“Your Honour, our client is still unwell. We request 30 more days for him to regain his health and be able to attend court,” his lawyers submitted.
The defence further indicated that the accused requires additional time to fully recover before he can appear in court to answer to the charges.
The prosecution did not object to the request, and the court granted the application, directing that the matter be mentioned on April 7, 2026, for further directions.
Wanga is facing serious allegations, including claims that he fraudulently obtained Ksh 8,701,091 from the Kisumu County Government between September 2020 and November 2024 while serving as City Manager.
He is also expected to face charges of forgery and presenting a false Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate, serial number 268532, to the Kisumu County Public Service Board to secure employment.
During the proceedings, the defence also informed the court that they had previously written to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) seeking a review of the charges, but had not received any response.
“We wrote to the DPP on November 26, 2025, seeking intervention to complete the file and make it ready for plea, but there has been no feedback so far,” lawyer Ogolla told the court.
The case is now expected to return to court in April, where the court will determine the next course of action depending on the status of the accused and the readiness of the prosecution.
