Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been convicted in a high-profile corruption case involving Ksh588 million. The ruling was delivered today by Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki at the Millimani Anti-Corruption Court.
Waititu, along with several co-defendants, was found guilty on multiple charges, including conflict of interest, unauthorized tender awards, and document forgery. The court’s decision came after a lengthy trial, which scrutinized the actions of Waititu and his associates over several years.
In his ruling, Magistrate Nzioki stated, “The evidence presented clearly indicates that the accused persons engaged in actions that undermined the law.” The court highlighted 12 specific charges, with Waititu being directly implicated in various counts of misconduct.
“On count one, the first accused person (Ferdinand Waititu) is guilty; on count two, both the first accused and Saika Two Estate Developers Limited are guilty; and on count three, the same applies,” the magistrate declared. He noted that Waititu was found liable for conflict of interest due to his involvement in a Ksh25 million transaction that benefitted him indirectly.
While the court found Waititu guilty of several offenses, it acquitted him and his co-defendants of money laundering charges. “Regarding the money laundering allegations, I find the accused persons not guilty and acquit them as per section 215,” Nzioki stated.
The charges against Waititu included fraud, conflict of interest, dealing with suspect property, and abuse of office, stemming from the controversial awarding of tenders to a company owned by his family.
Throughout the trial, Waititu maintained that the charges were politically motivated. However, the Chief Magistrate dismissed these claims, emphasizing that he carefully reviewed the evidence and found no indication of a political agenda influencing the case.
As the legal proceedings continue, the implications of this ruling are likely to resonate throughout the political landscape in Kenya.
