Corruption, terrorism, transnational crime dominate courts as DPP stands firm

Corruption-related cases dominated Kenyan courtrooms in 2025, a trend expected to persist into 2026, as the state pushed through a series of high-profile prosecutions amid intense public scrutiny.

While convictions remained selective, several landmark outcomes signaled a sustained drive to hold powerful individuals and institutions to account.

As pressure mounted to hold high-ranking individuals to account, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga appeared to renew focus on corruption, terrorism, cybercrime and extradition matters, reflecting an evolving crime landscape in which technology-driven and transnational offences are increasingly taking centre stage.

The most notable conviction was that of former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, who was found guilty in a conflict-of-interest case.

The Anti-Corruption Court fined him Ksh.53 million or, in default, sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment, and barred him from holding public office for a decade.

Ingonga maintains the war against graft must be won, pointing ex-Governor Waititu’s case as move in the right direction, as he appreciated the support of other agencies.

“The fight against corruption has to be won and this conviction (Waititu) is a significant step in the right direction. We thank other state agencies for the support in the success of these convictions,” he stated.

The verdict was widely seen as a litmus test for accountability among senior political figures.

Former Housing Minister Amos Kimunya also returned to the legal spotlight after the Court of Appeal overturned earlier acquittals in a long-running case involving the irregular allocation of public land.

The decision, secured after a successful challenge by the DPP, placed Kimunya on his defence and revived a case that had lingered in the courts for years.

Another major boost for the prosecution came in the case against former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

The Anti-Corruption Court ordered him to stand trial over graft charges linked to the alleged extortion of Ksh.20 million, following another successful appeal by the DPP that reaffirmed judicial confidence in the prosecution’s evidence.

County governments remained a focal point of anti-corruption efforts. Former Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka Mwangi was convicted and sentenced over procurement irregularities, adding to a growing list of governors held criminally liable for abuse of office.

In Trans Nzoia, Governor George Natembeya was charged with the unlawful acquisition of Ksh.3.25 million, allegedly received through county payments to companies linked to him in a conflict-of-interest scheme.

Procurement fraud was also on the spotlight, as eight Tana River County officials and a private firm were charged with willfully flouting procurement laws and undertaking a project without proper planning, in cases that underscored persistent weaknesses in public procurement systems at both county and national levels.

Meanwhile, former Kenya Pipeline Company employees were convicted and fined Ksh.10 million each, or sentenced to nine years in prison, for stealing petroleum products.

Courts also ordered senior officials and companies to stand trial in the Ksh.209 million substandard fertiliser scandal that rocked the nation, where soil amendments were allegedly passed off as fertiliser.

In the health sector, eight individuals and a medical facility were charged over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Ksh.7 million from the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Beyond Kenya’s borders, extradition proceedings highlighted the country’s growing role in international justice.

The High Court declined to grant bail to Lebanese national Antoine Kassiss, wanted in the United States on narcoterrorism and money laundering charges.

Extradition orders were also secured against Afghan national Abdul Zahir Qadeer and US citizen Hudeife Muhumed Mire, while proceedings commenced against British national Robert James Purkiss over the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru in Nanyuki.

Murder prosecutions involving state officers marked another defining chapter. Several senior police officers were charged in cases that had long drawn public outrage, including the killing of Baby Samantha Pendo that occurred during the 2017 post-election violence.

Separately, multiple officers from different agencies were charged with the murder of two Indian nationals and a Kenyan citizen linked to the disbanded Special Service Unit.

The DPP also secured a significant institutional win at the Supreme Court, which dismissed the final appeal by Ruth Wanjiku Kamande, affirming her murder conviction linked to the death of her boyfriend ten years ago.

Momentum continued in other high-profile trials, including those involving former Migori Governor Okoth Obado and businesswoman Sarah Wairimu Cohen.

In a landmark move for professional accountability, a surgeon and hospital directors were charged with manslaughter following a patient’s death.

The year closed with major victories in terrorism prosecutions, including lengthy sentences for suspects linked to the Dusit D2 attack and the Garissa ambush.

Separately, the DPP closed one phase of the Shakahola case involving controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie after calling 75 witnesses, with rulings and parallel trials still pending.