Relief for Speaker Ann Adul as court dismisses corruption case

Suspended Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Anne Adul outside the assembly hall after attending the re-conciliatory meeting yesterday 18/04/15. PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD

County Assembly Speaker Ann Adul has got reprieve after a court dismissed a corruption case against her, her husband and six other people.

Members of the County Assembly wanted her removed from office because of a case the Director of Public Prosecutions filed against her. The MCAs voted unanimously last year to force her to step aside pending determination of the case.

A defiant Ms Adul went to court to challenge the decision and obtained orders allowing her to continue serving as speaker.

She said only the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission had powers to recommend her suspension.

Yesterday, Justice David Majanja dismissed the appeal in which Adul, former Majority Leader Samuel Ongow, former Minority Leader Edwin Anayo and former Assembly Clerk Nelco Sagwe were accused of conspiring to defraud the county of Sh17.4 million by arranging three international trips for MCAs to Israel, Singapore and China.

Adul was also accused, alongside members of the Assembly Service Board, of single-sourcing services of a company called Factor Connect to facilitate the trips.

Adul's husband and two others was said to have fraudulently acquired public property to the tune of Sh15.4 million in 2014.

They were acquitted after the prosecution failed to prove its case.