A new judge will take over the Ksh180 million fake laptop scandal after Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku was transferred to Mombasa in 2021.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), in a statement dated Thursday, October 13, explained that Milimani Chief Magistrate, Wendy Kagendo, will oversee the case and issue new directives thereafter.
Mutuku's transfer had halted the case's progress prompting DPP to seek direction from the court.
The prosecution team already presented two witnesses to testify against seven accused persons.
According to the DPP, the seven face several charges, including conspiracy to defraud, authoring a document without authorization, obtaining goods by false pretences, handling stolen goods and abuse of office.
The case was first reported in 2018, where the businessmen were accused of obtaining fake documents for the supply of 2,800 laptops valued at Ksh180 million.
They purported that the document was signed by a senior officer at Harambee house to hoodwink a trader. The court further learnt that the suspects obtained details from a company based in Nairobi.
The case had emanated from Harambee House, which President William Ruto occupied during Uhuru Kenyatta's regime.
"With intent to defraud by means of offering tender documents under the name of the office of Deputy President, he falsely pretended that he was carrying out a genuine tender business and that he was able to deliver 2,800 pieces of laptops valued at Ksh180 million to the office of the deputy president - a fact he knew to be false," the charge sheet read in part.
However, the seven suspects denied the charges levelled against them.
Senior Principal Magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot, who was first assigned to the case in 2018, released them on bond.
