Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s son, Ronald Kidero, is due to be arraigned in court on Friday over the alleged sale of adulterated fuel at the Shell Petrol Station in Ridgeways.
Ronald was arrested Thursday evening and was booked at the Central Police Station and later taken to Gigiri police station where he spent the night.
The station’s commander Robinson Thuku stated that “he will be charged with among other things malicious damage to property after complaints from a motorist whose vehicle was damaged.”
Our sources have revealed that Ronald, who runs the Kidero Fundation, was arrested for selling adulterated fuel. Ronald is associated with a petrol station along Kiambu Road. “Someone complained that he fueled in that petrol station and his car got damaged”
Earlier in the day, his father denied three counts of corruption-related offences. The senior Kidero was taken to court at about 9am, but took plea to the charges at 3.17pm because the prosecution was trying to arrest other suspects to be charged together with the former Governor.
He walked into courtroom number one at 2.30pm wearing a dark blue suit with a light sky blue shirt and maroon tie with a matching pocket square. Kidero sat pensively in the dock as his lawyers addressed the court on delays in charging him.
Lead lawyer Tom Ojienda complained about inordinate delay in charging the former Nairobi City boss, saying it amounted to violation of his client’s rights. He said the prosecution, through delaying tactics, denied his client an opportunity to seek bail at the point of arrest which is permissible under the law.
Trial magistrate Douglas Ogoti directed state agencies to ensure they register pleas by 8.30am every time they bring an accused to court.Kidero’s charges were read out at exactly 3.17pm.
The prosecution said the former Governor committed the offence of conspiracy leading to loss of public funds amounting to Sh213 million for services not rendered. He was also accused of receiving benefits of Sh10 million from Lodwar Wholesalers Limited on September 11, 2014.
Kidero faced another count of receiving Sh14 million from Lodwar Wholesalers Limited on August 29, 2014. He denied the charges. He was charged alongside Maurice Okere.
Ojienda asked the court to grant them favourable bail terms. He asked the court to consider the fact that the two cannot abscond court hearing especially given Kidero’s public status and the ‘generic’ nature of the charges.
He said the case against his clients have serious political undertones and urged the court to take judicial note when a criminal process is politicised. Ojienda said the two accused no longer work for the county government and therefore did not have access to any documents or employees that could make them interfere with witnesses.
The prosecution opposed the bail application, saying the right can be curtailed with compelling reasons.Prosecutors said corruption-related cases should be treated as serious crimes, a reason they said warranted the denial of bail.
“We must root out this evil and if our brothers take the side of evil, we must root them out too. Corruption has been perpetrated by our forefathers and ourselves and that’s why we must shape up and deal with it,” Joseph Riungu said.
Kidero and Okere were to given a Sh2 million bail among other bond terms.
The former Governor had been granted a Sh2 million cash bail with the alternative of a Sh5 million bond and a Sh3 million surety. The ruling came late Thursday leaving the former city chief with no option but to wait until Friday when he will be processed for release. Kidero was further asked to deposit his passport at the court registry, as condition for his release