NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has suffered a setback after the High Court denied his second bail application in a Ksh588 million corruption case.
Justice Lucy Njuguna, in her ruling on Thursday, stated that the former governor and his two co-accused had failed to provide new or compelling reasons to warrant their release while awaiting the determination of their appeal.
“The applicants have not presented new or compelling reasons that would justify a review of the earlier decision,” Justice Njuguna remarked, emphasizing that bail is not an automatic right, especially in serious economic crime cases.
Waititu, convicted alongside his wife and a county official over the irregular award of a multi-million-shilling road tender, will remain in custody at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
The trio faces charges of conflict of interest, abuse of office, and laundering proceeds from public funds.
Waititu’s legal team argued that the politician, a well-known public figure with strong community ties, posed no flight risk and had adhered to court proceedings.
However, state counsel Mercy Mungai opposed the bail application, stating that releasing the convicts before the appeal would undermine public trust in the ongoing fight against corruption.
“This is a high-profile graft case, and releasing the convicts could send the wrong message,” Mungai said.
The ruling means that Waititu and his co-accused will remain in prison as they await the appeal’s outcome, which is scheduled to be mentioned on June 18 for hearing dates.
The case continues to captivate the public, with many viewing it as a litmus test for Kenya’s commitment to tackling high-level corruption.
