KISUMU, Kenya— The case against Kisumu City Manager Michael Abala Wanga failed to proceed for a second time after he failed to appear in court for plea-taking at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court.
Mr. Wanga was expected before Principal Magistrate Hon. Selesa Okore, but his lawyer informed the court that he had fallen ill on February 3, 2026, and was admitted to a hospital in Kisumu. A medical report was submitted to support the claim.
This marks yet another delay in a case that was initially scheduled for plea-taking on December 19, 2025, and postponed after the defence requested a review of charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The DPP approved multiple charges against Wanga in November 2025, including forgery and fraudulent acquisition of public funds.
He is accused of unlawfully acquiring Sh 8.7 million in emoluments from the Kisumu County Government while allegedly using a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) to secure employment as City Manager.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) revealed that Wanga presented a KCSE certificate showing a C+, whereas the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) confirmed his actual score was D+.
He allegedly falsified his name and altered grades to meet university admission requirements.
Additional allegations include forging a KCPE certificate, a Self-Declaration Form, and a Police Clearance Certificate.
In the Self-Declaration Form, he claimed to have no prior criminal record, despite a previous fraud conviction in Kiambu Criminal Court.
Separately, Wanga is accused of altering an official invitation letter for a forum in Nigeria to claim an allowance of Sh 280,402.50, and of fraudulently facilitating attendance for Conslate Achieng, who was not an employee of Kisumu County Government.
He faces three counts relating to this: forgery, uttering of a false document, and fraudulent acquisition of public property.
During the hearing, the EACC requested two weeks to verify the documents, while the defence sought a four-week adjournment to allow Wanga time to recover.
The court approved both requests, extended his pre-bail bond conditions, and scheduled the matter for mention on March 2, 2026, for further directions.
