July 22, 1966: Nyeri magistrate and former Nairobi City Councillor, Mr. Sewa Singh Mandla (pictured) is jailed with Police Constable Mr. Joseph Mugero for nine months on a charge of corruption. The sentence was passed in the High Court in Nairobi. Mr. Mandla’s wife, sitting in the courtroom, burst into tears as sentence was being passed by Mr. Justice Dalton. Mr. Mandla will not serve his sentence until after the hearing of an appeal lodged by his advocate, Mr. E. F N. Gratiaen, QC. His bail was extended after Mr. Gratiaen had submitted that a vital interpretation of the law was involved in the case. Accepting the submission, Mr. Justice Dalton ruled that no such legal interpretation was involved in the case of Mr. Mugero, who will begin to serve his sentence immediately.

Earlier, the three assessors at the trial had expressed the opinion that Mr. Mugero was “Guilty” but that Mr. Mandla was “Not guilty” of the charge. Giving judgment, Mr. Justice Dalton said he agreed with the assessors that Mr. Mugero was guilty of corruption beyond all reasonable doubt. But in regard to Mr. Mandla he disagreed with their verdict. Mr. Mandla had as in the English legal precedent of Regina v. Smith, offered money corruptly to Mr. Mugero.

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