The anti-corruption court has dismissed former Governor Evans Kidero's plea to stop the state from relying on bank statements in the Sh213 million graft case against him.
Chief magistrate Douglas Ogoti directed that the bank statements be marked for identification after he found no good reason to interfere with the testimony of an Equity Bank witness.
“From what the witness has so far informed the court about how he came across the impugned documents, the court is satisfied that he owns the document and is competent to testify in it,” Ogoti said.
Kidero had, through lawyer James Orengo, opposed the use of the bank records.
Lijondo Kihima, who is Equity's legal officer, said the statement in question was the subject of an investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. The EACC had obtained a warrant requiring specific documents and he printed the bank statement.
Kidero and 14 others have denied conspiring to defraud the Nairobi county government of Sh213,327,300 between January 16, 2014, and January 25, 2016, by authorising payments to Ngurumani and Lodwar Wholesalers Ltd for services not rendered.
