By Humphrey Malalo
NAIROBI (Reuters) – A Kenyan court on Thursday allowed a request by public prosecutors to withdraw a 7.4 billion shillings ($60 million) corruption case against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, citing insufficient evidence.
Gachagua and several and his co-accused were charged with corruption in July last year. He has denied any wrongdoing.
“The application by Director of Public Prosecutions is hereby granted,” Victor Wakumile, a magistrate at the anti-corruption court said in his ruling.
“The accused persons is hereby warned and informed they maybe re-arrested in future should investigators find evidence on similar charges,” he added.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji asked the court earlier this month to allow the withdrawal of the graft charges against Gachagua citing a lack of evidence.
There was no challenge to the prosecutor’s request to drop the case in court.
In a separate ruling in July, a court ordered Gachagua to repay 202 million shillings which it determined were the .
At the time, Gachagua said the verdict was intended to undermine his candidacy in the Aug. 9 election on then presidential candidate William Ruto’s ticket.
Under new President Ruto’s government, prosecutors have withdrawn several cases against some of his allies on the same grounds.
On Oct. 12, Haji issued a request to a magistrate’s court to withdraw corruption charges against Aisha Jumwa – the Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary who is a close ally of Ruto – for lack of evidence. Jumwa had denied any wrongdoing.
On Wednesday, privately owned news group Citizen reported that Jumwa requested Haji to withdraw a murder case against her, arguing that the evidence does not meet the threshold. She has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by James Macharia Chege; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Angus MacSwan)
