Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and Co-Accused Acquitted in Sh213 Million Graft Case

NAIROBI – In a significant legal ruling, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, alongside former County Secretary Lilian Ndegwa and former Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba, have been acquitted of corruption charges involving Sh213.3 million.

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The acquittal was delivered on Thursday 6th after Chief Magistrate found that the prosecution had failed to present a compelling case against the accused. In a decisive conclusion, the magistrate noted that all 34 witnesses called by the state had ultimately testified in favour of the defence, undermining the foundation of the case.

“The evidence by the prosecution witnesses did not prove the charges as preferred,” stated Magistrate Nyutu. “In fact, the evidence exonerated the accused persons in this case. The upshot is that I find the accused persons have no case to answer and I acquit them under Section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code.”

The high-profile case, which has been ongoing for years, stemmed from allegations of fraudulent payments made to Dr. Kidero and his co-accused between 2014 and 2016 during his tenure as governor. The charges included corruption, abuse of office, and money laundering.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had alleged that the funds were illicitly transferred from the Nairobi County government to the officials. However, the prosecution’s case unraveled as its own witnesses failed to provide evidence linking the accused to the criminal offenses.

Following the ruling, Dr. Kidero and his legal team expressed vindication, maintaining that the case was politically motivated and lacked legal merit from its inception.

“This is a clear victory for justice and the rule of law,” Kidero told reporters outside the courtroom. “We have always maintained our innocence, and today the court has confirmed that there was never any evidence to support these baseless allegations.”

The acquittal brings a definitive end to one of the most prominent graft cases from the devolved government’s early years. It represents a major setback for the country’s anti-corruption efforts and is likely to fuel further debate about the effectiveness and rigor of prosecuting high-level economic crimes in Kenya.

The ODPP has not yet indicated whether it intends to appeal the decision.

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