It was witch hunt, says Governor Mutua after clearance by DPP

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua address a press conference on 13th January 2018 [File, Standard]

Governor Alfred Mutua has welcomed the decision by the State not to charge him with graft over purchase of county vehicles.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday signed a consent before the Court of Appeal pledging not charge Governor Mutua for the purchase of 16 vehicles.

The vehicles, 15 Subaru Outbacks and one Toyota Land Cruiser, which were to be used by county executive committee members, were procured in 2013.

A magistrate's court had acquitted county officials who were to be charged alongside Dr Mutua.

According the consent entered before justices Roselyn Nambuye, Milton Makhandia and Otieno Odek, ODPP stated that it would be unnecessary to charge Mutua after the lower court exonerated his co-accused.

Welcoming the clearance, Mutua said it was evident that those who had pushed for his prosecution were driven by malice and political witch-hunt.

Mutua went to the Court of Appeal to challenge a ruling by High Court Judge Issac Lenaola in a constitutional petition No 310 of 2014 which recommended that he be prosecuted.