Former Governor Goes After Judge Over Graft Case
Former Busia Governor Sospeter has complained to the Judiciary Service Commission (JSC) about Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, who prosecuted his graft case when he was in office.
In the letter, dated August 1, the former governor criticized the chief magistrate for mishandling the case and urged the panel to probe him for abuse of power and misconduct.
Ojaamong accused the magistrate of deciding that he had a case to answer rather than dismissing a case in which he was accused of misappropriating Ksh8 million, despite 20 witnesses exonerating him.
While still governor in 2014, Ojaamong stated that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) initiated an investigation into him on suspicion of colluding to award Ksh8 million to a private company for work that was not completed.
By the end of the investigation, four years later, the EACC had reportedly examined 20 witnesses, and he, along with eight others, was charged in court, with Chief Magistrate Ogoti taking over.
I have received this complaint submitted to the JSC by Honourable Sospeter Odeke Ojaamong, against Honourable Douglas Ogoti. Judges and Magistrates, please, remember not to unlawfully and unjustly hurt People. They do not forget or forgive. pic.twitter.com/85jdQKOUM0
— Nelson Havi Ndung’u (@NelsonHavi) August 6, 2025
“The 20 prosecution witnesses were called by the prosecution to testify in the matter,” he stated.
“They all exonerated me and the 8 other accused from any wrongdoing, improperly conferring a benefit of Ksh8,000,000 to Madam R Enterprises Limited. I would have expected the case to be dismissed at this stage.”
He added: “To my surprise and shock, the magistrate handling the case, one Hon. Douglas Ogoti, put me and eight (8) others accused on our defence.”
Ojaamong stated that the judge found that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a prima facie case against him and his eight co-accused.
This was despite the lead investigator saying that he had found no proof that Madam R. Enterprise Limited had inappropriately conferred or paid a benefit of Ksh8 million.
“How then could there be a prima facie case against me and the eight other accused when all the 20 prosecution witnesses and the investigating officers tendered no evidence incriminating me and the eight other accused persons?” he quipped.
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“The purpose of this letter is therefore to request you to investigate Chief Magistrate Hon. Douglas Ogoti on the abuse of office/gross misconduct and therefore find him unable to discharge his duties professionally, thus not fit to hold any office in the Judiciary or any other public office.”
On May 16, 2025, Ojaamong was finally acquitted of the graft case with Chief Magistrate Eunice Nyutu citing insufficient evidence.
“After the entire comparison and consideration of the evidence, I find that the prosecution failed to prove all the charges,” Nyutu stated.
“Pursuant to Section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code, I acquit all the accused persons accordingly.”
Former Governor Goes After Judge Over Graft Case
