A car dealer has gone to court seeking orders that Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa be declared bankrupt after failing to pay shs 4.2 million car loan.
The dealer, Smart Cars limited and Car City limited in court papers said that the MP has refused to pay the money after he purchased a Toyota Land cruiser V8 on 25th September 2017.
The car is registered as KCM 303U, chasis number URJ202-4049444, engine number IUR-0364614, 4600cc black in color and manufactured in 2013.
The selling price of the car was shs 11, 700,000.
According to the sale agreement, the MP only paid shs 1 million to the dealer and shs 7 million was paid by the National Assembly.
The balance of shs 3.7 million was to be paid by the MP by the 11th of October 2017.
Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwas aide Jeff Matumbai was Barasa’s witness during the transaction.
However, the directors of Smart cars Dominic Chelal and Alice Nguna Syuki said in court papers that after following up with the MP for the whole of last year, he has refused to pay the money together with the cost of the suit which is shs 500,000.
As the court battles went on, Barasa through his lawyer Namada Simoni on 17th December 2018 wrote to the car dealer saying that previous efforts to have him pay the money were initiated by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa.
The car dealer had wanted Barasa to pay the money in installments of shs 462,500.
“Even the installment terms were entered into at the behest, promises of guarantees underpinned by Hon Eugene Wamalwa . The said motor vehicle transaction was underpinned on personal arrangements between Hon Wamalwa and your client,” Simoni wrote to the car dealers.
The lawyers said that Barasa was ready to pay the money in shs 100,000 installments for a period of 30 months which is two and a half years.
The car dealer protested saying its ‘malice and lack of commitment’ and said they will file for bankruptcy.
On 5th March, Dominic Chelal and Alice Nguna Syuki through their lawyers in gazette notice No. 2516 invited the public to appear in court on Tuesday 26th March either to support or oppose their application to have Barasa declared bankrupt.
If the bankruptcy petition sails through, Didmus Barasa will lose his seat as the MP for Kimilili.