Ojaamong takes stand, denies Sh8m economic crime charges

By , K24 Digital
On Thu, 16 Jul, 2020 08:52 | < 1 min read
Sospeter Ojaamong
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong in court on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. PHOTO | SHEILA MUTUA
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong in court on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. PHOTO | SHEILA MUTUA

Busia Governor Sospeter Ojamoong took the stand to defend himself over Sh8 million graft allegations.

The governor and other county officials were found by Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court to have a case to answer and were all put on their defence.

While testifying in court, Governor Ojaamong denied claims that he conspired to defraud the county government Sh8 million.

In an unsworn testimony, the governor told the court that he never conspired to commit an offence of economic crime, adding that his team never went to Germany for leisure as alleged.

“I never conspired with any of the accused persons to defraud the county government of Busia the Sh8 million,” Ojaamong said.

He said that the executive consulted stakeholders and the county assembly. 

He, however, queried how out of the 12 Executive members who attended the meeting for the waste project, only three were listed as prosecution witnesses but never testified that there was a plan to conspire to steal the said monies.

Ojamong is expected to call four witnesses to defend himself in in the four charges he is facing.

In May 2020, trial magistrate Douglous Ogoti ruled that Ojamoong and eight others have a case to answer in the graft case.

"Having considered all the evidence tendered by the prosecution the court ruled that a prima facie case has been established against all the accused and they were put on their defence?" said the magistrate

In the case, Ojaamong had denied abuse of office charges.

He was also accused of conspiracy to commit an economic crime and engaging in a project without proper planning.

He is out on a cash bail of Sh1 million.