Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claims that he would have been jailed if Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance had clinched the presidency.
Speaking in Mathira, Nyeri County, on Friday, April 21, 2023, Gachagua told a gathering that votes cast for Kenya Kwanza alliance in the August 9, 2022, General Election saved him from going to prison.
The DP claimed that he would have been rotting in the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison if the Kenya Kwanza had not won last year's presidential election.
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“If it were not for your votes, I would not have become the deputy president. I would have been in Kamiti cooling the porridge. It would have been my fifth month as a convict. I am not sure if you would have paid me a visit," Gachagua said.
Ksh7.3 billion graft case
Gachagua faced a Ksh7.3 billion graft case which was dismissed after the Kenya Kwanza administration came to power.
The DP was charged in July 2022 with nine other people and companies and was released after depositing cash bail of Ksh12 million.
Among the charges is that he and Rapid Medical Suppliers Ltd acquired Ksh6 million from Nyeri county government on December 29, 2014, for the supply of Dialysis machines to Nyeri Provincial General Hospital.
He is also alleged to have received Ksh104 million from the Bungoma county government suspected to be proceeds of crime between January 2015 and June 2019.
The charges stated that Gachagua received Ksh7.3 billion in his three bank accounts at Rafiki Micro-Finance Bank, funds which were allegedly deposited between 2013 and 2020.
The prosecution alleged that the transactions were meant to conceal the movements of the money because it is believed to be proceeds of crime.
Gachagua was however set free in November last year after the anti-corruption court in Nairobi allowed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji to withdraw graft charges against him.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Victor Wakumile noted that the application to withdraw the case by the DPP was arrived at after the DCI failed to provide full disclosure of evidence implicating the DP and his co-accused in the corruption charges.
On February 1, 2023, Gachagua scored another big win after Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) agreed to have Ksh200 million forfeited to the state refunded back to him.
Court of Appeal Judges Daniel Musinga, Imaana Laibuta and Ngenye Macharia set aside the High Court's order issued on July 28, 2022, forfeiting Gachagua's millions to the State after implication in Ksh7.3 billion graft case.
The judges also quashed a High Court decision that declared the Ksh200 million belonging to Gachagua and his business associate Anne Kimemia as proceeds of crime.
