Another graft case collapses as 5 suspects acquitted in Ksh.7B Anglo Leasing scandal case

After a protracted court battle that lasted two decades involving the Ksh.7 billion Anglo Leasing scandal, three former Permanent Secretaries and two businessmen have been acquitted by the anti-corruption court for lack of evidence.

Milimani Chief Magistrate Felix Kombo on Friday let off the hook former PSs Dave Mwangi, Joseph Magari and Joseph Onyonka, as well as businessmen Deepak Kamani and Rashmi Kamani, declaring that they had been unfairly prosecuted.

All five had been charged with conspiracy to defraud the government through the multi-billion Anglo Leasing contract known as the Modernisation of Police Security Equipment and Accessories.

The charges were a culmination of over 10 years of investigations since the Anglo Leasing scandal came into the public limelight.

The Kamani brothers, alongside the late former minister David Mwiraria, and ex-PSs Onyonka, Mwangi and Magari were charged with economic crimes.

Firms associated with them, including Sound Day Corporation and Apex Finance, were also roped in.

The accused were charged with conspiring with others between October 2003 and April 2004 in Nairobi to defraud the government Ksh.3.5 billion through a supplier credit agreement for the police security equipment and accessories modernisation project.

In acquitting all the accused, Magistrate Kombo said there was selective prosecution and failure to call key witnesses who were key players in the project to shed more light.

The Magistrate said there were glaring contradictions and inconsistencies in the prosecution's case.

Kombo's decision led to the fall of yet another multi-billion shilling corruption case at the anti-corruption court.

Just a month ago, on December 14, 2023, the same court acquitted former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and eight others of fraud-related charges that cost the country Ksh.63 billion, money that would have been used to build the Arror and Kimwarer dams.