Major graft-related cases lined up in court this week

Several corruption, economic crimes and public asset recovery cases involving former governors, senior public officials, county officers and private companies are scheduled for hearing in courts across the country this week, according to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The matters, scheduled between June 29 and July 3, include hearings, mentions, rulings and judgments in cases involving alleged corruption, unexplained wealth, abuse of office, procurement irregularities, money laundering and recovery of public land worth billions of shillings.

Among the key criminal cases lined up is that involving former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Kioko Sonko and another accused person.

The case, set for hearing before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court between June 29 and July 2, relates to alleged conflict of interest over a Sh10 million revenue collection services contract for Nairobi City County.

The court will also hear a separate case involving Sonko and 25 others on July 1. The accused persons face charges of conflict of interest and collusion in the alleged embezzlement of Sh24.1 million from Nairobi City County.

Former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Benjamin Obuya Njoga and 12 others are also expected before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court from June 30 to July 2.

They face charges including abuse of office, fraudulent acquisition of public property and money laundering involving Sh301.9 million allegedly paid for goods not supplied to the State Department for Correctional Services.

Another high-profile hearing involves Estama Investments Limited and others, where the EACC is seeking recovery of Sh800 million allegedly paid through an overvalued tender for the supply of 100 portable medical clinics to the Ministry of Health.

Former National Social Security Fund head of procurement George Mwazighe Mwandembo and three others are scheduled to appear before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court over allegations of conflict of interest involving a Sh47.7 million tender awarded to Beldavo Enterprises.

The Nyahururu Anti-Corruption Court will hear a case against Arnold Karani Njiru and four others over alleged conspiracy to commit corruption and the fraudulent acquisition of Sh14.8 million spent on a ghost project under the Laikipia East NG-CDF.

In Eldoret, former Chebororwa Agricultural Training Centre principal Nicholas Kiprop Kaino and four others are expected in court over alleged financial and economic crimes involving the fraudulent withdrawal of Sh11.4 million.

The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court will also hear recovery suits involving Sh13.9 million allegedly embezzled from the County Government of Vihiga and Sh12.6 million allegedly fraudulently paid as salaries to a non-employee at the Homa Bay County Assembly.

Other hearings include a bribery case against former Nyeri Lands Registrar John Ndirangu and others, a bribery case involving a DCI officer attached to Kilungu Sub-County, and a forgery case against a former security officer accused of using a fake academic certificate to secure employment.

The commission is also pursuing several public land recovery cases before the Environment and Land Court.

Among them is a suit against Rubis Energy Kenya PLC and eight others seeking recovery of public land allegedly allocated to Kenol Kobil PLC.

The Environment and Land Court in Nakuru will hear separate suits seeking recovery of two parcels of land worth Sh40 million each that had been reserved for the Ministry of Education but were allegedly acquired by private individuals.

Additional land recovery hearings involve parcels in Nanyuki, Valley Road in Nairobi, Kahawa West, and Nakuru, while the Environment and Land Court in Kabarnet is expected to deliver a ruling on the recovery of public property in Marigat valued at Sh15 million.

The Milimani Environment and Land Court will also issue rulings in a suit seeking recovery of Sh282.4 million allegedly embezzled from the Turkana County Government and hear a dispute over public land claimed by the Government of Kenya in Kahawa West.

Meanwhile, the Kitale Law Court is expected to deliver judgment in a suit seeking recovery of Kitale Municipality Block 12/153, which the commission says was reserved as an open space before being illegally allocated to a private individual.

Several unexplained wealth and recovery suits are also scheduled for mention during the week.

These include a suit seeking recovery of Sh342.8 million in unexplained assets allegedly acquired by a former Nairobi City County employee, a forfeiture case involving Sh283 million in suspected unexplained wealth, a Sh220.4 million contract recovery case, a Sh72 million unexplained wealth suit, a Sh63.7 million Kiambu County recovery case and a Sh58 million recovery suit involving former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and 13 others.