This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
On September 19, 2019, a magistrate in the graft trial against Evans Kidero and eight others made a ruling that would have significant implications for the case.
Dr. Evans Kidero, the former Nairobi governor, had sought to expunge evidence from the court record, citing concerns about the admissibility of certain statements. However, Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti rejected this bid, stating that he had already made his ruling on the matter and that Dr. Kidero and the others should appeal if they were not satisfied with the decision.
The magistrate's ruling came after a previous decision to exclude certain evidence from the case. On Monday, Chief Magistrate Ogoti had ruled that the prosecution should not rely on statements obtained from Co-operative Bank, which showed how money was moved from City Hall to accounts belonging to Ngurumani Traders and Lodwar Wholesalers.
However, the magistrate declined to expunge evidence by former Co-operative Bank employee Charity William. This decision was seen as a significant setback for Dr. Kidero and the others, who had been hoping to have the evidence excluded from the case.
The trial, which involves allegations of the loss of Sh213 million, will resume on September 23. Dr. Kidero and eight others, including former county secretary Lilian Ndegwa and former Finance officer Jimmy Kiamba, are facing charges of graft and fraud.
