John Mwangi
NAIROBI, Kenya,
The Anti-Corruption Court has cleared former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and several senior county officials of corruption charges over the alleged loss of Sh213.3 million, ending a seven-year legal battle that had shadowed Kidero’s tenure and political career.
Delivering the verdict at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court, Magistrate Victor Wakumile acquitted Kidero, former County Secretary Lilian Ndegwa, and ex-Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba, citing insufficient evidence. The court found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused.
“The prosecution did not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. All the evidence presented by witnesses supported the defense,” Magistrate Wakumile ruled, dismissing the charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, abuse of office, and fraudulent acquisition of public property.
The charges, filed in 2018 by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), alleged that between January 2014 and January 2016, county funds were irregularly paid to companies for goods and services not rendered—including questionable payments for the “purchase of sugar” through firms such as Lowder Wholesalers and Ngurumani Ltd.
Those acquitted alongside Kidero include Luke Gatimu, former acting Chief Finance Officer, and Maurice Ochieng Okere, former acting Head of Treasury. However, the court ruled that Stephen Ogago Osiro, the former Head of Accounting, still has a case to answer and will proceed to trial.
The case, which dragged on for years amid document disputes and delayed witness appearances, saw EACC investigator Mulki Umar testify that over Sh213 million was transferred through irregular authorizations. Defense lawyers, led by Senior Counsel Tom Ojienda, argued that all payments were legitimate county expenditures and that no evidence showed personal enrichment or fraud.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, a visibly relieved Kidero said the judgment vindicated him and his co-accused.
“This decision reaffirms our faith in justice and our record of transparent governance. We have always maintained our innocence, and today’s ruling restores our reputations,” he said.
Ndegwa and Kiamba echoed similar sentiments but declined to comment further until the full judgment is published.
Legal analysts say the ruling underscores the high evidentiary threshold for corruption convictions under Kenya’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, particularly in complex financial cases involving county administrations.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has 14 days to file an appeal. As it stands, the ruling brings closure to one of the most high-profile graft cases from Nairobi’s first devolved government era, offering reprieve to Kidero and his former colleagues after years of litigation.