Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Charged with Sh213 Million Fraud

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero was on Thursday afternoon arraigned before the anti-corruption court where he was charged with fraud.

Appearing before anti-corruption Magistrate Douglas Ogoti, Kidero pleaded not guilty to three counts of fraud, services not rendered and dealing with suspect property.

Kidero was arrested at a city hotel by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and spent Wednesday night in cells. The former Governor was charged alongside Maurice Ochieng Okere, the acting head of county Treasury.

The two are accused of authorizing payments that led to the loss of more than Sh213 million between January 16th, 2014 and January 25th, 2016.

Kidero's attorney Tom Ojienda asked the court to free him on bail arguing it was his constitutional right but the prosecution opposed the bail application saying the charges leveled against him were grave and that he was capable of interfering with witnesses if released.

“The influence that the first accused person, Evans Kidero, has cannot be ignored your honor,” stated the prosecution.

“We strongly submit that we have not made the application to oppose bail out of malice, it is our duty to bring to the attention of this court why we are at another level when it comes to dealing with these kinds of cases.”

The court however released Kidero on Sh2 million cash bail or Sh 3million bond with a surety of the same amount.