Kioko Kilukumi defends Ruto as Sh96 fraud case resumes

Tuesday, 15 March 2011 00:11 BY CAROLE MAINA

ACCUSED: Baringo Central MP Sammy Mwaita ,Joshua Kulei and Eldoret North MP William Ruto at the High Court for the hearing of their fraud case.

THE trial of suspended Cabinet minister William Ruto in the alleged Sh96 million fraud resumed yesterday and lawyer Kioko Kilukumi was back to defend him.
Kilukumi had stepped down from the defence team after he was appointed by President Mwai Kibaki as Director of Public Prosecutions. Kilukumi told court yesterday that he continue to act for Ruto in the case following the withdrawal of his name as a nominee. “I left the case on grounds that I will be back if the nominations are not confirmed,” he told trial magistrate Gilbert Mutembei. The President withdrew the controversial list of nominees after civil rights groups complained that the nominations were unconstitutional.
Others who had been appointed were Court of Appeal Judge Alnashir Visram as the Chief Justice, Githu Muigai as the Attorney General and William Kirwa as the Controller of Budget.
In the case Ruto has been charged together with Joshua Kulei and Baringo Central MP Sammy Mwaita in relation to the sale of forest land in Ngong.
According to the charges, Ruto and Kulei received Sh38 million and Sh58.8 million from Kenya Pipeline Company respectively. A lawyer Ambrose Rachier gave evidence against the accused.
Rachier denied seeing or receiving a letter from Sovereign Group, a company linked to the fraud that was requesting him to register a number of companies.
Although the letter produced in court was addressed to his firm, the lawyer told the court that he did not receive it. The case was adjourned to today after another witness failed to turn up in court.