The Judiciary has clarified the 12-year imprisonment with an alternative of paying KSh 53.5 million fine former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu was slapped with after his conviction in the KSh 588 million corruption case.
To some quarters who disagreed with the sentencing, the KSh 53.5 million fine was not commensurate with the amount of taxpayers’ money lost in the scandal.
However, in its clarification, the Judiciary justified the fine, saying Waititu was punished for the KSh 25.6 million bribe he received in the scandal, not the whole KSh 588 million.
According to the findings of the Ethics and AntiCorruption Commission (EACC), Waititu received KSh 25.6 million from Testimony Enterprises Limited for the KSh 588 million tender to upgrade roads in Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja, and Ruiru sub-counties.
"The charges of conflict of interest and dealing with suspect property against Waititu only related to a sum of KSh 25,624,500. The fine of KSh 53,749,000 is more than double the benefit of KSh 25,624,500 received by Waititu," said the Judiciary.The former governor’s wife, Susan Wangari, who was also convicted in the graft case, was handed a one-year jail term with an option of paying KSh 500,000 fine.
Charles Chege Mbuthia, the main director of Testimony Enterprises Limited, was sentenced to pay a cumulative fine of KSh 296,548,110 and in default to serve 11 years imprisonment.
