Joshua Waiganjo, the individual who captured public attention 11 years ago amidst allegations of impersonating senior police officers, can finally exhale a sigh of relief following his acquittal of all charges on Thursday, as pronounced by a Naivasha court.
Waiganjo faced various accusations, including four counts of impersonating senior police officers, unlawful possession of police uniforms, and two charges of robbery with violence.
Chief Magistrate Nathan Lutta of Naivasha, in delivering the verdict, referenced a 2017 Court of Appeal ruling that mandated Waiganjo’s exoneration. He further noted that the court’s decision had absolved Waiganjo of two counts of robbery with violence due to the failure of the complainants to testify in court.
Nevertheless, Waiganjo received a five-year jail term for impersonating a police officer, one year for donning police attire, and six months each for three counts of possessing government property.
Subsequently, Waiganjo lodged an appeal against his sentence at the Naivasha High Court, which ordered a retrial. Eventually, in 2017, the Appellate Court dismissed the case entirely, citing a lack of legal foundation.
“The court is bound by the doctrine of Stare Decisis, and the accused is hereby released,” declared Magistrate Lutta, finalizing the legal proceedings.
