Court rejects bid to call new witnesses in Kamanis Anglo Leasing case

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 10 Sep, 2019 17:06 | < 1 min read
Kamani brothers
Anglo-Leasing suspects Chamanlal Kamani and sons Rashmi and Deepak Kamani, David Onyonka, Joseph Magari and Dave Mwangi at Milimani Law Courts in 2015. Chamnalal has since passed on. PHOTO | FILE
Anglo-Leasing suspects Chamanlal Kamani and sons Rashmi and Deepak Kamani, David Onyonka, Joseph Magari and Dave Mwangi at Milimani Law Courts in 2015. PHOTO | FILE

The Director of Public Prosecutions has suffered a blow after court thwarted d to call new witnesses in Sh 6.5 Billion Anglo-Leasing case in which six businessmen are charged with fraud.

Nairobi Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku questioned why investigations into the matter are still going on five years after the case was filed.

"Disclosure of evidence is important in a trial. The subject trial is delicate and there is need to disclose all the material. Investigations are ongoing which disturbs the court, " she said.

The court warned the prosecution over failure to supply the defense team with all the evidence and witness statements.

 "There is no need to call for extra witnesses since there was no mention of the witnesses before. Forty-five witnesses have testified for the prosecution and the trial has taken long, "she observed.

The prosecution was seeking to introduce four more witnesses in the matter but the defense team objected to their application.

Only two witnesses are remaining for the prosecution to close its case against the accused.

The Kamani’s are facing charges related to the multi-billion-shilling security tenders that the government termed irregular and cancelled in 2013.

They are alleged to have conspiring to defraud the government 59.7 euros (Sh6.8 billion) through a contract meant to upgrade police equipment.