This archive report was first published on 18 November 2019.
On November 18, 2019, a Kenyan diplomat based in Malaysia, Ruth Kanini Kitonyi, wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) urging him to review his decision to file a corruption case against her and former Kasarani Member of Parliament Elizabeth Ongoro.
The case involves the alleged embezzlement of Sh48.9 million from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) during the construction of Kasarani Girls High School between May 2008 and December 10, 2012.
Kitonyi, a former District Development Officer employed by the CDF board, is one of 22 accused persons facing charges in the Kasarani CDF school scam.
Prosecutors had urged anti-corruption chief magistrate Lawrence Mugambi to give the DPP seven days to communicate his decision in response to Kitonyi's plea.
However, the request was met with protests from the rest of the accused persons, who claimed they were being discriminated against.
Defence lawyers questioned the DPP's exercise of powers in deciding to prosecute the 22 accused persons, alleging that the DPP was applying double standards in arresting some of the accused persons and arraigning them in court without giving them an opportunity to write to him to review their cases.
