Waititu Sentenced To 12 Years In Jail Or Pay Ksh53.5 Million Fine
Ferdinand Waititu, the former governor of Kiambu, has been forced to pay a Sh53.5 million fine or serve 12 years in prison after being found guilty of corruption allegations.
Convict Ferdinand Waititu arrives in court for sentencing in Ksh.588 million corruption case pic.twitter.com/nOXZrsGehi
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 13, 2025
His wife, Susan Wangari, has been sentenced to pay Sh500,000 or face one year in prison.
All convicted were also forbidden from holding public office for a decade.
Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki pronounced the sentence on Thursday.
The court ordered Charles Chege, the Director of Testimony Enterprises, to deposit a Sh295 million fine or spend the next nine years in prison.
His wife, Beth Wangeci, was sentenced to two years in prison or a Sh1.4 million fine.
Lucas Wahinya, the road engineer, faces a Sh21 million fine and seven years in prison if he fails to pay.
Nzioki ordered that the offenders be escorted to the Industrial Area Prison.
Waititu wanted to be escorted to the hospital following his sentencing, but the Magistrate recommended that the matter be handled by prison authorities.
"A fine of KSH. 1 million and in default 2 years’ imprisonment. Still on count one, you pay a monthly fine of KSH. 51 million and in default then you serve 7 years’ imprisonment," Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzioki reads out Waititu's sentence pic.twitter.com/VkttMB54GZ
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 13, 2025
Waititu and his co-accused were charged with fraud, conflict of interest, dealing with suspect property, money laundering, and abuse of office in connection with an alleged fraudulent award of tenders to a Waititu family-owned company.
Nzioki stated that the prosecution was able to prove that Waititu failed to comply with the norms of national governance and to safeguard public monies when he received Sh25 million from Testimony following the award of the irregular tender.
He said that the testimony of 32 witnesses, as well as documentation proof, demonstrated that Sh25 million was paid to him as a direct result of the tender being awarded to him.
“The inevitable conclusion is that Waititu is liable for conflict of interest by acquiring an indirect personal interest of Sh25m from testimony,” said the magistrate.
During his term as Governor of Kiambu, these funds were channeled through his companies, Saika Two Developers and Bienvenue Hotel.
“This is a case of a classic example of conflict of interest and debunks the much-hyped theory of political witchhunt as claimed by Waititu,” said the court.
In convicting Waititu, the court also found former roads official Lucas Wahinya, who was also an accused in the case, guilty of violating every norm of procurement law.
“Nothing seemed to stop him from securing the award of the tender to Testimony enterprises whose directors were acquittances of the Governor,” said the Magistrate.
Nzioki considered the evidence of Justus Bundi, the county’s procurement manager, who claimed Wahinya ignored his advice on key gaps that needed to be filled before granting the tender.
On July 29, 2019, Waititu, his wife, and other county officials were accused of a corruption case.
Waititu, in particular, experienced a conflict of interest while dealing with suspicious property, money laundering, and abuse of office.
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The prosecution said that Saika Two Estate Developers Ltd, owned by Waititu and his wife, received more than Sh25 million from Testimony Enterprises Limited Contractor, a firm appointed by the county government to pave roads through illegal tendering.
During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the tender was issued to upgrade several gravel roads in Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja, and Ruiru sub-counties.
It was awarded to Testimony Enterprise, which is owned by Charles Chege and Beth Wangeci Mburu, after quoting Sh588 million.
Following the award, the business paid Waititu a ‘kickback’ of Sh25.6 million.
Waititu Sentenced To 12 Years In Jail Or Pay Ksh53.5 Million Fine
