DPP PLANS TO END GRAFT CASE AGAINST THARAKA NITHI GOVERNOR
Mr Ingonga directed the case to be put on hold pending a review of the evidence as requested by Mr Njuki on whether the evidence was enough to sustain the case.
The graft trial against Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki and 19 others has been put on hold following a request by Mr Njuki to the Director of Public Prosecution Renson Ingonga seeking a review of charges against him.
Mr Ingonga directed the case to be put on hold pending a review of the evidence as requested by Mr Njuki on whether the evidence was enough to sustain the case.
The trial is yet to start and the prosecution had lined up 40 witnesses to testify in the case of alleged corruption over the procurement of solid waste incinerator at a cost of Sh34 million.
“The DPP has further directed that the hearing should not proceed until further directions are issued,” Mr Duncan Ondimu, a senior principal prosecution counsel said in a letter to the regional coordinator, ODPP lower Eastern region Mr Daniel Karuri on June 14.
The letter said the DPP received a request from Mr Njuki seeking review of the evidence. “In order to enable the DPP respond to the request, kindly submit the above duplicate,” Mr Ondimu added.
Mr Njuki and 19 others were charged at Milimani anti-corruption court with conspiracy to commit corruption involving Sh34 million in September 2020 and were released on bond.
The case was, however, transferred to Embu in October 2021, following a successful application by Mr Njuki and his co-accused.
While ordering the case to be heard in Embu, High Court judge James Wakiaga said cases involving loss of money from the county government should as far as possible be filed and tried in the local courts, so that the local citizen, get a chance to attend trials so as to see and hear for themselves the massive loss of county funds, rather than the same being filed far away in Nairobi.
The 20 accused persons face a total of 13 counts including conspiracy to defraud, willful failure to comply with procurement laws, conflict of interest, abuse of office and fraudulent practices in procurement.
