President William Ruto has pardoned former Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) director Davy Koech, who was sentenced to a six-year jail term for fraudulently acquiring Ksh19.3 million.
According to the Gazette Notice, Koech was among 37 individuals the Head of State pardoned under the Power of Mercy Act 2011 upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee.
"It is notified for the general information of the public that in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 133 of the Constitution of Kenya and section 23 (1) of the Power of Mercy Act, 2011, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Power of Mercy, granted the petitions of (the aforementioned)," Attorney General Justin Muturi ratified the pardon.
The former KEMRI director had in the past appealed the ruling Magistrate Victor Wakumile rendered in September 2021, arguing that it was flawed.
Magistrate Wakumile found Koech guilty of three counts of fraudulent acquisition of public property and was fined Ksh19.6 million or a six-year jail term.
In the first charge, Koech was accused of irregularly acquiring Ksh800,000 in public property from the research institution on August 17, 2006.
The second and third charges read that on December 12, 2006, he fraudulently acquired Ksh6 million and another Ksh12.5 million, respectively, from KEMRI.
Koech was also accused of using his office to transfer Ksh19.3 million held in the account of Vector Biological and Control Research (VBCR). The magistrate ruled that the evidence presented was sufficient and compelling enough to declare Koech guilty.
A year later, the former KEMRI director appealed the ruling and sought the High Court to quash it.
Justice Esther Maina, however, dismissed the appeal and stated that Koech had failed to demonstrate how the court erred in convicting him.
Presidential Pardon
At the same time, President Ruto reduced capital punishment for convicts to life imprisonment for all prisoners convicted before November 21, 2022.
He also pardoned 5,861 convicts who were serving minor sentences, including those jailed for six months or less.
The decision to pardon these individuals was based on the convicts exhibiting good conduct during their time of sentencing.
