Oloo, others in LBDA mall case freed on Sh10m bail
Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Onyango Oloo, former Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) managing director Peter Aguko and Bobasi MP Innocent Obiri were yesterday released on a cash bail of Sh10 million each in a multi-million the mall scandal.
They denied several corruption charges relating to inflation of the cost of the said complex.
“I have considered the nature of the offences against the accused persons, the amount of money alleged to have been lost, the presumption of innocence and the court duty to admit the accused to bail,” ruled Milimani Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
Ogoti granted the accused persons separate bail on condition that they deposit their passports with the court.
He also ordered the suspects not to approach any witnesses during the trial since such actions will lead to the cancellation of the bond.
The magistrate further ordered the accused persons not to go back to their offices as the same is a scene of the crime.
“The investigating agencies and the DPP to ensure that disclosure in each file must be done count by count since there are so many accused persons, charges, witnesses and documentation in graft cases at the end of the case the prosecution does not know if they have proved a count or not,” he ordered.
Ogoti further directed that all the disclosure should be captured in an inventory signed and both the defence and prosecution and filed in court before the pre-trial.
Zeyun Yang and Zhang Jing, directors of Edermann Property Limited, which was involved in the construction of Lake Basin mall in Kisumu, were also released on Sh10 million cash bail or Sh30 million bond each with an additional Kenyan surety.
In the case, 15 people were granted Sh6 million bail and another eight were granted Sh10 million bail.
Defraud public
Oscar Odhiambo, a director of Symbion Kenya Limited, Vincent Makonjio, Lydia Owino, Jing, Zeyun, Erdemann Properties and Symbion Ltd were granted Sh10 million bail.
George Omolo, Anthony Kiprono, David Nyapida, John Nyera, John Onyango, Bonfiace Orori, William Omoding, Jimmy Nabwera, Alex Mukabwa, Mary Goima, Kennedy Otawa, Michael Obora, Joash Dache, Dennis Mulaa and Josiah Okumu were granted Sh6 million bail.
Henry Odindo was granted Sh500,000 bail.
The accused persons and the two companies were released on bail after they denied charges of conspiracy to defraud, willful failure to comply with procurement laws, engaging in the construction of a project without prior planning and abuse of office, among others.
Oloo is accused of conspiring with the contractors to defraud the public billions of shillings.
The Speaker, Aguko and the MP are charged alongside the mall’s board members, tender committee members, and contractors, among other suspects.
The prosecution requested the court to grant them four weeks to enable them to supply the defence with all evidence material since there are voluminous documents in the matter.
In cases, 65 witnesses are expected to testify. The case will be heard on September 11.
