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Sonko acquitted in Sh20m graft case

Sonko acquitted in the Sh20m graft case

Embattled former Nairobi City County Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi has been acquitted in a Sh20 million graft case arising from a lucrative garbage collection contract in the city during his tenure.

It is this contract that county assembly members (MCAs) they relied on to pass an impeachment motion that ended Sonko’s nine-year political career.

But the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has said he will appeal against the judgement freeing Mr Sonko whose arrest and arraignment was a high noon drama.

Mr Sonko was freed alongside Antony Ombok aka Jamal and a city transport company River of God (RoG) by anti-corruption court chief magistrate Douglas Ogoti at the Milimani law courts.

“After going through a very tough and hard time which culminated in my exit from active politics, God has come through for me. I have been acquitted in one of the three cases filed against me,” Sonko told Nation.Africa at Milimani, after he was acquitted.

Sonko who was tried in camera said justice has been done at last adding: “I hope all the other remaining cases will go the same way as this one. I thank all those who supported me when I was being dragged through this prosecution,” he said.

Defence lawyers Dr John Khaminwa, Assa Nyakundi and Andrew Cheruiyot welcomed the  verdict saying “it came as a surprise but justice is the best christmass gift to Sonko.”

In a press release, Mr Haji said he is dissatisfied with the judgement and that he he will appeal against the acquittal of all the three accused persons.

“The magistrate acquitted Sonko on grounds that the charge sheet was defective and not on the merits and substance of the case,” said Haji.

The prosecution called 19 witnesses and produced 113 exhibits in support of the case that was closed on July 27,2022.

Mr Sonko was charged with the offence of conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, conflict of interest, money laundering and acquisition of proceeds of crime.

In the case detectives alleged that some of the firms that won the Sh357 million tender wired more than Sh20 million to Sonko’s bank accounts.

In the case Sonko and the co-accused had been released on bond.