Economy

DPP gets green light to charge ex-Isiolo governor with abuse of office

doyo

Former Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Former Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo has failed in a bid to stop the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from charging him with abuse of office in relation to employment of county workers in 2014.

Justice David Majaja dismissed the case by Mr Doyo saying the trial court was well placed to evaluate the evidence and any other material that is available and has not been shown to him.

Mr Doyo, moved to court last year seeking to prohibit the DPP and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) from proceeding with the charges in respect to employment of county workers during his tenure as governor.

He was to be charged with several counts, including abuse of office, after the anti-graft body found him to have improperly appointed certain persons, in his government, without obtaining consent of the Isiolo County Public Service Board, contrary to Section 74 of the County Governments Act.

In the petition, Mr Doyo accused the EACC and DPP of instituting a plethora of charges against him from the time he was elected governor but, which were stayed by the courts.

He said the charges were initiated with ulterior motives and were meant to punish him and cause him unnecessary hardship as he discharged his duties.

According to Mr Doyo, the Public Service Board ratified the appointments through a letter dated October 21, 2014.

He further said the EACC failed to investigate the matter fully as the recruitments were administrative matters and if there were any errors in the process, internal remedies existed for correction.

The EACC, through the investigating officer David Sangula, said the matter was completed and there was sufficient evidence to charge him.

“For reasons I have set out above, the ex-parte applicant has not shown out a case to warrant the orders sought. It is dismissed with costs,” the Judge said.