Ruto pardons former KEMRI director jailed for SIX years over massive theft
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Ruto pardons former KEMRI director, Davy Koech jailed for SIX years over embezzlement of funds at the institution
Ruto pardons former KEMRI director, Davy Koech jailed for SIX years over embezzlement of funds at the institution.
Former Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Director Davy Koech is among 37 people pardoned by President Ruto in a gazette notice dated July 21, 2023.
Koech was pardoned under the Power of Mercy Act 2011 upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 133 of the Constitution of Kenya and section 23 (1) of the Power of Mercy Act, 2011, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Power of Mercy, granted the petitions of (the aforementioned),” Attorney General Justin Muturi ratified the pardon.
In the gazette notice, Ruto also pardoned 2,944 petty offenders and 2,117 long-term offenders
The former KEMRI director had in the past appealed the ruling Magistrate Victor Wakumile rendered in September 2021, arguing that it was flawed.
Koech was sentenced to pay a Ksh19.6 million fine or serve six years in prison after being found guilty on three charges of dishonest acquisition of public property by Magistrate Wakumile.
In the first charge, Koech was accused of irregularly acquiring Ksh800,000 in public property from the research institution on August 17, 2006.
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The second and third charges read that on December 12, 2006, he fraudulently acquired Ksh6 million and another Ksh12.5 million, respectively, from KEMRI.
Koech was also accused of using his office to transfer Ksh19.3 million held in the account of Vector Biological and Control Research (VBCR) to his personal account.
The funds had been designated for the Kisumu Center for Disease Control.
The magistrate ruled that the evidence presented was sufficient and compelling enough to declare Koech guilty.
A year later, the former KEMRI director appealed the ruling and sought the High Court to quash it.
Justice Esther Maina, however, dismissed the appeal and stated that Koech had failed to demonstrate how the court erred in convicting him.
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