Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, His Wife Detained, High Court Upholds Ksh588 Million Graft Convictions

Sign InCourtFormer Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, His Wife Detained, High Court Upholds Ksh588 Million Graft ConvictionsBy Andrew Kariuki · October 14, 2026 · 2 min readSponsored AdFormer Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has lost his appeal against his conviction and sentence in a Sh588 million corruption case after the High Court upheld the penalties imposed over irregular procurement of road works in Kiambu County.

Justice Rose Ougo, sitting at the Milimani Anti-Corruption High Court, dismissed appeals by Waititu and his co-accused, Charles Chege and Luka Mwahiya, ruling that the convictions and sentences imposed by the trial court were lawful.

The judge also upheld the order barring the three from holding public office, whether elective or appointed, for 10 years.

The case involves offences relating to fraudulent procurement, unlawful acquisition of public property and money laundering.

Waititu and his co-accused had challenged their convictions and penalties, including the computation of fines and the legality of default prison terms imposed if the fines were not paid.

However, Justice Ougo found no sufficient legal basis to interfere with the sentences, explaining that an appellate court can only revise a sentence in specific circumstances, including where it is illegal, founded on an erroneous legal principle or manifestly excessive or inadequate.

“The fines imposed by the court under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act being mandatory fines were properly imposed,” the judge ruled.

She explained that the law provides for mandatory financial penalties, including additional fines calculated with reference to the benefit obtained from an offence or the loss occasioned by the criminal conduct.

In a separate part of the judgment, the court allowed the State’s cross-appeal challenging the acquittal of Waititu’s wife, Susan Wangari, and two other co-accused on money laundering charges.

Justice Ougo set aside the acquittals and entered convictions against the three on their respective money laundering counts.

The judge directed that the matter be returned to the Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate’s Court for mitigation and sentencing, noting that the High Court was not exercising original sentencing jurisdiction over those counts.

The sentences for money laundering are to run concurrently with those already imposed under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

Following the ruling, Waititu and Wangari were ordered to be remanded at Lang’ata Women’s GK Prison, while Chege and Mwahiya were directed to return to prison to continue serving their sentences.

The four were expected to appear before the Chief Magistrate’s Court for mitigation and sentencing on the money laundering charges.

The court also informed the parties of their right to appeal to the Court of Appeal within 14 days, according to the directions summarised in the supplied proceedings.

The High Court’s decision leaves the original procurement-related convictions and sentences intact while paving the way for sentencing on the money laundering convictions.