Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko will face trial to defend himself against corruption charges brought against him three years ago, following a ruling by the Milimani Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Charles Ondieki ruled that the charges framed by the state were not defective, stating that the prosecution had presented a prima facie case.
This means the evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient to support the allegations, but Sonko and his co-accused still have the opportunity to challenge it with their own evidence.
Sonko has indicated that he plans to call witnesses, including officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), to support his defense during the hearing.
The charges stem from allegations that during his tenure as governor, Sonko demanded a Ksh10 million bribe from Web Tribe Limited through ROG Security Limited as an inducement to facilitate payments owed to Web Tribe by the Nairobi City County Government.
This case has had its share of legal twists and turns.
In 2022, then-Milimani Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti acquitted Sonko, citing a defective charge sheet presented by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
However, the DPP appealed, and in December 2024, Justice Nixon Sifuna reinstated the case, ruling that the acquittal was based on the original charge sheet instead of an amended one.
Justice Sifuna ordered a retrial under a new magistrate, instructing the court to begin with a fresh ruling on whether there was a case to answer based on the amended charges and evidence.
Magistrate Ondieki ruled that the charges against Sonko, ROG Security Limited, and Anthony Ombok were not ambiguous and did not cause undue embarrassment or injustice to the accused.
He, however, dismissed two counts of conspiracy to commit corruption, calling them “duplex” (unclear or overly broad).
For the remaining charges—including money laundering, abuse of office, and conflict of interest—the court found that the prosecution had established a strong enough case to require the accused to defend themselves.
The trial will begin on May 18, 2025, and is expected to proceed on a day-to-day basis for two weeks, with no room for adjournments.
