- In a significant turn of events, four individuals who were facing charges related to the Ksh.3.5 billion Anglo Leasing scandal have been acquitted and set free.
- Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku, delivering the verdict on Friday, cleared Deepak Kamani, Rashmi Kamani, former Treasury PS Joseph Magari, and former PS at the Office of the President Dave Mwangi of all the charges leveled against them.
The Magistrate ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused individuals, leading to their acquittal under section 210 of the criminal procedure code.
According to the prosecution’s case, it was alleged that the accused persons conspired with others between October 30, 2003, and April 14, 2004, to defraud the Kenyan government of Ksh.3.5 billion through a suppliers credit contract agreement for the modernization of the Police Security Equipment and Accessories Project.
However, after a careful examination of the evidence presented, the Magistrate concluded that the prosecution had not successfully demonstrated the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Consequently, she ruled that the four defendants had no case to answer, resulting in their acquittal and release.
The Anglo Leasing scandal, a high-profile corruption case, involved a series of fraudulent contracts signed with various companies for the procurement of security-related equipment and services. The scandal, which came to light in the early 2000s, caused a significant uproar in Kenya due to the large sums of money involved and the alleged involvement of high-ranking government officials.
With the recent acquittal of these four individuals, the case takes a new turn, prompting discussions on the efficacy of the prosecution’s evidence and raising questions about the handling of the Anglo Leasing scandal as a whole.