Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has been released from Kamiti Maximum Prison after a court reduced the amount he has to pay in bail in the massive Ksh588 million corruption case regarding the county road scandal.
Waititu has been released from prison on Thursday, awaiting the outcome of the appeal in the case, where he is required to pay Ksh20 million in cash as part of the bail conditions.
Previously, the former governor was required to pay a higher amount in bail, totaling Ksh50 million, in addition to a bank guarantee that he would pay the amount or be sent back to prison.
In the latest court ruling, Ferdinand is required to pay Ksh20 million in cash and provide two sureties, each of whom should be backed by a property valued at no less than Ksh30 million.
Through Attorney Jeremy Njenga, the former governor indicated that he has been released from prison and is now awaiting the outcome of the appeal in the case.
In February, the former governor was found guilty by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court for failing to protect public resources, where he accepted Ksh25 million from a contractor in exchange for a road contract in the county, where the bidding process was irregular during his tenure as Governor.
In the ruling, the court found that the actions of the former governor did not reflect good leadership in the management and utilization of public resources and gave him a choice between paying a fine of Ksh53.5 million or serving a sentence of 12 years in prison.
Ferdinand’s wife, Susan Wangare, is facing similar charges and has been given a choice between paying a fine of Ksh500,000 or serving a sentence of a year in prison.
Since leaving office in 2019, Ferdinand has been facing corruption charges in court, where in September, the court rejected his appeal and ruled that he should serve a sentence of 12 years in prison, where he has a choice between paying a fine of Ksh53.5 million or serving a sentence in prison.
In the September court ruling, the court found that Ferdinand’s grounds for appeal did not raise any new issues that would warrant his release from prison while awaiting the outcome of the case in court.
