This archive report was first published on 2 November 2021.
Published on November 2, 2021, a significant development has taken place in the ongoing corruption case involving former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.
High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi has ordered the case to proceed, rejecting Rotich's plea to dismiss the charges brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The DPP's application to consolidate the case and reduce the number of charges from 30 to 9 has been approved. The number of witnesses has also been reduced from 104 to 52.
Rotich, along with Kimosop, Nyachiro, Kinyanjui, Maina, Serem, Kipkech, Muriithi, and Wahungu, has been charged with corruption-related offenses, including embezzling USD 501,829,769.
The charges allege that the accused individuals signed contracts with Italian companies to build the dams without following the law and government guidelines.
Although the court has allowed the accused to be re-charged, their lawyers, Katwa Kigen and Kioko Kilukumi, have requested the court to dismiss the case, arguing that it has taken over 24 months since the accused were arrested and charged.
The lawyers claim that, under anti-corruption laws, the case should be completed within two years.
The accused have denied the new charges, and the case is set to resume on November 23, 2021.
