DPP Applies to Withdraw Sh7.3 Billion Graft Case Against DP Gachagua

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has withdrawn a Sh7.3 billion graft case against deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and nine others.

The prosecution on Wednesday told the court that the withdrawal was to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) probe the matter further and submit the file.

The prosecution had in October requested that the trial be put on hold to allow time to study the case. Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Victor Wakumile granted the DPP’s request.

The DPP was given until November 21 to appear in court and get instructions on the trial.

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The prosecution informed the court that three of the defendants in the case had written to him asking him to review the evidence and allegations against them.

Gachagua was charged alongside Nyeri senator William Wahome Mwangi, Anne Nduta Ruo, Julianne Jahenda Makaa, Samuel Murimi, Grace Wambui Kariuki, Lawrence Kimaru, Irene Wambui Ndigiriri, David Reuben and a company M/s Rapid Medical Supplies.

They were charged with irregularly receiving through Rafiki Micro-Finance Bank a sum of Sh7,330,011,265 using three bank accounts while knowing the funds were proceeds of crime.

The crime was allegedly carried out in Nairobi between 2013 and 2020 on various dates.

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The court was informed that on December 29, 2014, in Nairobi County, the DP illegally obtained Sh6 million in public funds for the purchase of dialysis machines for Nyeri Provincial General Hospital.

The DP was accused of money laundering after it was claimed that he received Sh104,821,205 from the Bungoma County Government between January 2018 and June 2019 with the intention of using the funds for illegal purposes.

The Kwale County Government has also accused him of receiving Sh7,583,505 with the purpose to unlawfully dispose of it.

In addition, Mr Gachagua is facing charges of conflict of interest because, while serving as the MP for the Mathira Constituency between October 2018 and January 2019, he received a private benefit from a contract awarded for the building of the Njathaini Primary School, which was paid for by the Mathira Constituency Development Fund.

According to the charge sheet, the contract was given to a business owned by one of Mr Gachagua’s close friends.