NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Nairobi County Treasury Head Stephen Ogago Osiro has been ordered to defend himself in a Sh7 million corruption case, after the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Delivering the ruling, Chief Magistrate Dr. Victor Wakumile said the prosecution, led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), had presented sufficient evidence linking Osiro to the alleged receipt of illicit funds while serving as the accounting officer at City Hall.
The court heard that on November 6, 2014, Osiro allegedly received Sh4 million from Lodwar Wholesalers Limited, knowing or having reason to believe that the money constituted proceeds of corruption. He is further accused of receiving an additional Sh3.5 million from the same firm under similar circumstances.
Alongside Osiro, the court also placed John Githua Njogu, Grace Njeri Githua, Ngurumani Traders Limited, and Lodwar Wholesalers Limited on their defence over charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property and failure to pay taxes.
The ODPP welcomed the decision as a demonstration of the robustness of its prosecution and the judiciary’s support for accountability in the use of public funds.
“This ruling validates the strength and professionalism of our case and reaffirms our commitment to ensuring integrity and transparency in public service,” the ODPP said in a statement following the ruling.
However, in a separate finding, the court acquitted six other senior former Nairobi County officials, including former Governor Evans Kidero, Lilian Wanjiru Ndegwa, Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba, Gregory Mwakanongo, Luke Mugo Gatimu, and Maurice Ochieng Okere, under Section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code, ruling that they had no case to answer.
The acquitted officials had faced charges of conspiracy to commit corruption, abuse of office, and dealing with suspected property related to irregular financial transactions during their tenure at the Nairobi County Government.
The ODPP maintained that it remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice in corruption-related cases, noting that the ruling underscores Kenya’s broader efforts to strengthen accountability and ethical governance in the public sector.
