In a significant victory for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the High Court has overturned a lower court’s decision to acquit former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa in the Ksh39 billion fake arms case.
Echesa stands accused of fraudulent activities involving a substantial sum of money, purportedly obtained through a multi-billion-dollar contract for the supply of military equipment at Harambee Annex, the former office of the Deputy President, now President William Ruto.
High Court Judge Kanyi Kimondo, in a recent ruling, nullified the trial court’s previous decision to free Echesa in December 2021. The judgment orders that Echesa be placed on the defense, emphasizing that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had presented a compelling case against him. Judge Kimondo expressed the view that the lower court erred in acquitting Echesa, stating that he should have been required to answer the charges and present his defense.
“Accordingly, their acquittal on December 3, 2021, under section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) on those six counts is hereby reversed and set aside,” ruled Justice Kimondo.
As a result of this decision, Echesa has been instructed to appear personally before the Milimani Chief Magistrate on March 4, 2024, for further proceedings regarding his defense in the arms case.
The reversal of Echesa’s acquittal marks a significant turn of events in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the alleged fraudulent activities. It underscores the determination of the DPP to pursue justice and hold accountable those implicated in the case.
