Investments, Trade and Industry CAS Evans Kidero is set to take fresh plea in his Sh68 million fraud case.

In the new development, the former Nairobi Governor will take a plea on June 30, 2023.

Kidero will become the first CAS to be charged in court over the allegations linked to the irregular payment of Sh68 million to a law firm.

This comes after a city court ordered that he be charged afresh in the controversial case.

Kidero appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Felix Kombo on Tuesday in a graft case that was filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The anti-corruption court dismissed opposition by Kidero to the fresh charges and he and his co-accused will now take plea to the amended charges.

“In the end the court finds that the numerous objections against the draft amended charge herein do not hold merit save to the extent that I have found the proposed amended charge in count X to be defective,” Kombo ruled.

The EACC filed a graft case against Kidero and other parties over the irregular payment to Wachira Mburu, Mwangi and Company advocates, made on instructions from then Nairobi City Council acting Director of Legal Affairs Joshua Aduma Owuor.

According to papers filed in court, Owuor reportedly directed Steven Kariuki of Wachira Mburu, Mwangi Company Advocates to represent the City Council in case HCC No. 875 of 2010 (Kyavee Holdings Limited Vs City Council of Nairobi) without following due process.

Kombo ordered the State to finish the amended draft charge sheet to incorporate the fresh findings related to one of the 15 counts and avail it for the duo to take fresh plea.

He further directed that fresh date for Kidero and his co-accused to take the fresh pleas in the stalled case be fixed by the parties involved in the fraud case.