The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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A Magistrates Court is set to issue further directions today regarding the Sh39 billion fake arms deal case involving former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa.
The case will be heard before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina. Echesa was acquitted in December 2021 by Senior Principal Magistrate Kenneth Cheruiyot, who cited the prosecution’s failure to prove its case. Specifically, the prosecution did not call critical witnesses who could have clarified the details of the alleged arms deal. As a result, Cheruiyot acquitted Echesa under Section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
However, following a successful appeal by the state, High Court Judge Kanyi Kimondo ruled on February 26, 2024, that Echesa and his four co-accused must appear in court to defend themselves. Judge Kimondo directed the case to be remitted back to the lower court for the defense hearing to proceed.
Echesa then filed an appeal, and the Court of Appeal, consisting of Justices Patrick Kiage, Ali Aroni, and Lydia Achode, issued an order suspending the High Court ruling. They noted that the appeal raised significant legal questions, thus granting a stay on the proceedings.
Today, the court will review the status of the case and determine the next steps in the legal process.
