Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been acquitted of a money laundering charge in an ongoing criminal case, marking a partial legal victory as other charges against him proceed to trial.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Magistrate Isabellah Barasa found that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to sustain the money laundering count under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“The court has reviewed the evidence on record and considered the submissions by all parties,” Barasa said, noting that ten prosecution witnesses had testified during the trial. She subsequently dismissed the charge, stating: “I am acquitting on count three.”
However, the court ruled that there was enough evidence to place Sonko and his co-accused on their defence in relation to multiple graft-related charges tied to the alleged irregular award of tenders during his tenure at City Hall.
“I am placing the accused persons on their defence in respect to count 1, 2, 4 and 5,” the magistrate directed.
The prosecution claims that procurement processes within Nairobi County were manipulated, leading to the unlawful awarding of contracts and potential loss of public funds.
Sonko is charged alongside Fredrick Odhiambo, Anthony Otieno, and ROG Security Limited. All the accused have denied the allegations.
Despite the acquittal on the money laundering count, the case now shifts focus to the remaining charges, where the defence will have an opportunity to respond to the prosecution’s claims.
Sonko has consistently maintained that the case is politically driven, arguing that he was targeted due to his anti-corruption stance while in office.
Earlier, in February 2026, he told a Nairobi court that powerful individuals sought to undermine him during his tenure, claiming his actions against corruption provoked retaliation.
“Regrettably, powerful individuals and networks whose interests were threatened by my actions decided to fight back,” he said during his testimony.
The court confirmed that it had reviewed submissions from Sonko’s legal team as well as those representing his co-accused before arriving at its decision.
The matter will be mentioned again on June 4, when the case is scheduled to proceed with physical hearings as the defence stage begins.
