By Linet Amuli - Reporter
Kenya, 6 Novemebr 2025 - Former Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero has been acquitted of corruption charges involving more than Sh213 million, after a Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations against him.
Delivering a detailed ruling on Thursday, Senior Principal Magistrate Victor Wakumile said the evidence presented by the prosecution did not meet the threshold required to establish that Dr. Kidero either authorised or personally benefited from the alleged fraudulent payments.
“The court finds that the prosecution has not demonstrated a case strong enough to warrant placing the first accused on his defence. Counts one through seventeen are hereby dismissed under Section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” the magistrate stated in his decision.
The case, filed in 2018, accused Kidero and 10 others of conspiring to unlawfully authorise payments amounting to Sh213,327,300 to two companies , Lodwar Wholesalers Limited and Ngurumani Traders Limited , purportedly for goods and services that were never delivered to the Nairobi City County Government.
According to the prosecution, the alleged transactions occurred during Kidero’s tenure as Nairobi’s first county governor, between 2013 and 2017. He faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit corruption, abuse of office, fraudulent acquisition of public property, dealing with suspect property, and failure to remit tax to a public body.
However, the court found that the prosecution’s witnesses and documents did not directly link the former governor to any irregular approvals or payments.
Magistrate Wakumile observed that while the transactions raised questions, there was no credible evidence showing that Kidero had instructed or participated in the alleged fraudulent activities.
“Suspicion, however strong, cannot replace proof,” the magistrate said, noting that the prosecution’s evidence lacked a clear nexus connecting Kidero to the contested payments.
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While Dr. Kidero walked free, the court ruled that Stephen Ogago Osiro, a former Head of Accounting at the Nairobi County Government, must answer to the remaining charges.
Magistrate Wakumile found that the evidence presented against Osiro raised issues requiring his response. He will now be placed on his defence for counts 18 to 35, which also relate to the disputed transactions.
Other senior county officials charged in the case include the former County Secretary, former Chief Finance Officer, former Finance and Planning Executive, former acting Chief Finance Officer, and the former acting Head of Treasury, along with two businessmen associated with the two supplier firms.
The acquittal marks a major reprieve for Dr. Kidero, who has faced a string of corruption-related cases since leaving office in 2017.
Speaking briefly after the ruling, Kidero expressed relief, saying he had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. “Justice has prevailed. I have always believed the truth would come out,” he said.
Legal analysts say the decision underscores the judiciary’s insistence on evidence-based prosecution in corruption matters, and may influence how future cases against public officials are handled.
The Anti-Corruption Court’s ruling also highlights the challenges prosecutors face in linking senior officials to alleged financial improprieties within devolved government systems.
For now, Kidero’s acquittal closes a seven-year legal chapter that has dogged his public image since leaving City Hall, even as his former county colleagues prepare to defend themselves against the remaining charges.
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