NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong and several members of his former county executive have been acquitted of corruption charges involving Sh8 million, following a ruling by Chief Magistrate Eunice Kagure Nyutu at the Milimani Law Courts.
The charges, which dated back to 2018, had accused Ojaamong and his co-accused of conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office, engaging in a project without prior planning, failure to comply with procurement laws, and fraudulent acquisition of public property.
But in a judgment delivered on Friday, Magistrate Nyutu ruled that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to support the allegations.
“There was no evidence that any money was lost or that the accused persons unlawfully benefited,” she said.
The court found that the procurement process in question—concerning a feasibility study on solid waste management—was conducted within legal frameworks.
Nyutu added that none of the 20 prosecution witnesses had demonstrated any direct loss of public funds or personal gain by the accused, undercutting the basis for the charges.
The ruling dealt a blow to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which had earlier urged the court to convict the former governor and his co-accused, maintaining that the evidence met the threshold for guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Following the acquittal, the court ordered that all confiscated items belonging to the accused—including passports and other security documents—be returned.
Ojaamong, who served two terms as governor, has faced several legal battles since leaving office, but the Friday ruling marks a significant legal victory for the former county boss.
