EACC welcomes Waititu's conviction on money-laundering charges

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has welcomed a High Court decision overturning the acquittal of former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, his wife and two others on money-laundering charges.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, October 14, 2026, Justice Rose Ougo allowed the State’s cross-appeal, set aside the acquittals and convicted the accused on three money-laundering counts.

“The State’s cross-appeal is allowed. Those acquittals are set aside. The court convicts the first appellant (Waititu), and the second respondent, Susan Wangari, of money laundering, contrary to Section 3, as read with Section 16 of the Act, as charged under Counts 10, 11, and 12,” the judge ruled.

The decision followed an EACC investigation into a Sh588.2 million contract awarded to Testimony Enterprises Limited during the 2017/2018 financial year to upgrade gravel roads to bitumen standards in Thika, Limuru, Gatundu North, Juja and Ruiru sub-counties.

The court examined financial transactions linked to the tender, including payments channelled through bank accounts and companies associated with Waititu and his wife, Susan Wangari Ndung’u.

Waititu was found to have received Sh25,624,500 through his business interests, including Saika Two Estate Developers Limited, while Wangari received Sh7,214,000 through Bienvenue Delta Hotel. The two amounts total approximately Sh32.8 million.

The prosecution argued that companies associated with the couple were used to channel benefits from the irregular tender, with part of the money allegedly used by Waititu to purchase Naivasha Resort.

Justice Ougo also examined transactions involving millions of shillings deposited into an Equity Bank account before being transferred to other companies associated with Waititu and his wife. The sequence of transfers was material to determining whether the money had been moved through associated businesses to conceal its origin.

The EACC, through its investigating officers and other witnesses from the University of Nairobi, also presented evidence that Testimony Enterprises had used forged academic certificates for technical staff in its tender documents.

The trial court found that the documents had been used to support the company’s bid and that it had fraudulently obtained Sh147,274,055 from the county government.

Former Kiambu County Chief Officer for Roads Luka Wahinya was convicted of abuse of office over his role in the tender award, while businessman Charles Chege Mbuthia, a director of Testimony Enterprises, was convicted of procurement-related offences.

Justice Ougo rejected the appellants’ argument that the case was merely an administrative procurement dispute. She found that allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and unlawful financial benefits fell within the jurisdiction of criminal courts.

The judge also dismissed the argument that failure to disclose  an audit report dated September 25, 2019, had violated the appellants’ right to a fair trial, finding that they had not demonstrated prejudice to their defence.

Justice Ougo upheld Waititu’s 12-year sentence and the convictions and penalties imposed for other corruption-related offences, including conflict of interest.

However, she ordered Wangari, who had previously been acquitted on the money-laundering charges and attended court to follow her husband’s appeal, to be remanded at Lang’ata GK Prison pending mitigation and sentencing on Monday next week.

The judge also ordered Waititu and two co-convicts, who are serving sentences for the earlier convictions, to be produced before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate’s Court for mitigation and sentencing on the money-laundering counts. The new sentences are to run concurrently with the existing penalties.

The decision comes months after a separate unexplained-wealth case brought by the EACC resulted in a December 2025 order by the Anti-Corruption High Court for the forfeiture of assets valued at approximately Sh131.2 million linked to Waititu and associated parties.

The assets included properties in Thindigua valued at about Sh64 million, a Caterpillar machine worth approximately Sh11 million, two motor vehicles, property associated with Wangari valued at about Sh3 million, and property linked to Saika Two Estate Developers Limited valued at approximately Sh52 million.

The EACC is also pursuing a separate civil case seeking to recover Sh170 million from Waititu and Testimony Enterprises Limited as alleged proceeds of corruption. The case is pending determination.

The four accused were scheduled to appear before the magistrate’s court on October 19, 2026, for mitigation and sentencing on the money-laundering charges.