After eight long years of legal battles, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, ex-County Finance Chief Jimmy Kiamba, and former County Secretary Lilian Ndegwa were on Thursday finally been acquitted in the Sh213 million City Hall corruption case.
The ruling brings closure to a case that has gripped the city since 2014.
Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Victor Wakumile ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove 17 graft counts against Kidero and his nine co-accused, relating to millions allegedly paid to companies for goods and services that were never delivered.
“In regard to counts 1 to 17, all accused persons are acquitted under section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC),” said Magistrate Wakumile.
The court cleared Kidero of three corruption charges, including dealing with suspected proceeds of crime amounting to Sh24 million, and conspiracy to commit fraud involving the alleged loss of Sh213 million from City Hall during his tenure.
Also acquitted were acting Chief Finance Officer Luke Gatimu and Acting Head of Treasury Maurice Ochieng Okere, alongside Ndegwa and Mwakanongo, who faced charges of abusing office by improperly conferring Sh26.5 million to Ngurumani Traders Limited.
Former Chief Finance Officer Kiamba and others were also cleared of misappropriating Sh20 million.
However, former Nairobi County Head of Accounting Stephen Ogago Osiro, and John Githua and Grace Njeri, directors of Lodwar Wholesalers and Ngurumani Traders, were ordered to mount a defense.
“I find that the prosecution has proved the charges in counts 18 to 31 and 32 to 33. The accused persons, including Osiro, are put on their defence,” ruled Magistrate Wakumile.
The court said the trio must respond to 14 charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property, including over Sh83 million allegedly obtained from City Hall in 2014 for undelivered services.
Githua and Njeri are also on defense for allegedly receiving over Sh70 million through Lodwar Wholesalers Limited between 2013 and 2016.
Kidero and his co-accused had been charged with conspiring to commit fraud, resulting in an alleged loss of Sh213,327,300 at City Hall between January 2014 and January 2016, with payments authorized to Ngurumani Traders and Lodwar Wholesalers Ltd for services not rendered.
The eight-year ordeal finally ends with the former county leaders walking free, closing a prolonged chapter in Nairobi’s fight against corruption while spotlighting the challenges of prosecuting complex financial crimes.
