Sakaja Stares at Jail Term over Alleged Aiding of Kerich's Dubai Flight

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja Accused of Aiding Finance Chief Executive in Evading Justice

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing a civil jail term after a law firm, Kwengu & Company Advocates, accused him in court of aiding his Finance Chief Executive, Charles Kerich, in his alleged flight to Dubai following Kerich's sentencing to three months in prison for contempt of court.

The allegations emerged in a case filed at the Milimani High Court on Friday, May 30, which terms Sakaja as the principal author of a calculated conspiracy to defeat the authority of the court, now ensnaring the Governor, his Finance CEC, and the Inspector General of Police in an escalating constitutional crisis. The allegations are that Sakaja facilitated Kerich's departure from Kenya to evade a prison sentence arising from the county's failure to settle a Sh106.7 million decree owed to the law firm.

Sakaja, who is the second Governor to face a jail term after Nairobi Governor Anne Mumbi Kambua in 2020, has been accused of being a key player in the evasion of justice by Kerich. The law firm claims that Sakaja's actions were a deliberate attempt to help Kerich avoid paying the debt he owed to Foton East Africa Limited.

On May 19, Justice Francis Gikonyo sentenced Kerich for contempt of court, after the Nairobi County persistently defied a November 2024 order to pay Sh106,736,841.83 to the advocates from Sh142 million owed to Foton East Africa Limited pursuant to an earlier decree dated June 29, 2023.

The Sh106.7 million decree was part of the Sh142 million owed to Foton East Africa Limited, which the Nairobi County had been ordered by the court to pay, but failed to do so within the four-day deadline. This led to Kerich's sentencing and has now led to allegations that Sakaja aided Kerich's escape.

Sakaja has been Governor of Nairobi since 2022 and is also the chair of the Nairobi City County Assembly Business Committee, which he has held since 2020. Prior to his election as Governor, Sakaja was a Member of Parliament for the Lang'ata Constituency from 2013 to 2022.

The allegations now levelled against Sakaja are not the first time Kerich has faced contempt charges. In 2021, Kerich was fined Sh200,000 by the court for contempt of court over his failure to pay a debt owed to a company. This previous incident highlights the pattern of Kerich's disregard for the court's orders.

The Inspector General of Police has also been implicated in the allegations, with the law firm accusing him of collaborating with Sakaja to evade justice. This further complicates the situation and raises questions about the extent of the corruption within the Nairobi County government.

The allegations now levelled against Sakaja have left many in Kenya questioning the actions of the Governor and the Nairobi County Government. The Sh106.7 million decree was part of the Sh142 million owed to Foton East Africa Limited, which the Nairobi County had been ordered by the court to pay, but failed to do so within the four-day deadline.

The Nairobi City County Assembly Business Committee has denied any wrongdoing, saying that they had nothing to do with Kerich's alleged flight to Dubai. However, the allegations have sparked widespread debate and calls for reforms in the county government.

The Nairobi County has been at the centre of several high-profile corruption cases in recent years. The county has been accused of embezzling millions of shillings meant for development projects.

The allegations now levelled against Sakaja will see him, if found guilty, serve a civil jail term for aiding Kerich's alleged evasion of justice. The Inspector General of Police has also been implicated in the allegations, with the law firm accusing him of collaborating with Sakaja to evade justice.

Sakaja has been Governor of Nairobi since 2022 and is also the chair of the Nairobi City County Assembly Business Committee, which he has held since 2020. Prior to his election as Governor, Sakaja was a Member of Parliament for the Lang'ata Constituency from 2013 to 2022.

The allegations now levelled against Sakaja are not the first time Kerich has faced contempt charges. In 2021, Kerich was fined Sh200,000 by the court for contempt of court over his failure to pay a debt owed to a company. This previous incident highlights the pattern of Kerich's disregard for the court's orders.

However, the allegations have left many Kenyans questioning the integrity of the Nairobi County Government. The Inspector General of Police, implicated in the case, has yet to comment on the allegations.

The Nairobi County has been at the centre of several high-profile corruption cases in recent years. The county has been accused of embezzling millions of shillings meant for development projects.

The Sh106.7 million decree was part of the Sh142 million owed to Foton East Africa Limited, which the Nairobi County had been ordered by the court to pay. The county had been given four days to pay the Sh106.7 million but failed to do so, leading to Kerich's sentencing.

The allegations now levelled against Sakaja have sparked widespread debate and calls for reforms in the county government.