A Kiambu Court on Monday, March 11, acquitted former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko for an assault case that had dragged on since 2019.
The case stemmed from accusations that Sonko had gained forcible entry into a property in Buruburu Phase Four, Nairobi when he was the county boss.
Mike Sonko’s freedom came after the complainants decided to withdraw their accusations, a decision that was not objected to by the prosecutor.
Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ooko ruled that there were no grounds to proceed with the case further considering the stances adopted by the accusers and the prosecutor.
Sonko had gone to the Buruburu Phase Four area after he received reports that there was chaos at a church that had been erected in disputed land.
Upon reaching the scene, Sonko found that structures within the property had been demolished.
He went ahead to accuse police officers alleging that they had stood guard as known land grabbers destroyed the property.
While the incident happened in 2019, a case against Sonko was filed in Kiambu Law Courts on February 2, 2021, two months after his impeachment as county governor.
At the time, he was charged with 10 counts of assaulting nine people, causing bodily harm and forcefully entering the disputed property.
"From complainant number one all the way to number 10, their application to have the matter withdrawn and reasons advanced have not been opposed by the prosecution, I allow the same as prayed. This case is marked as closed," Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ooko ruled while acquitting the former governor.
This happened barely a month after an anti-corruption court acquitted the former Nairobi Governor in a Ksh357 million graft case.
In a February 7, ruling, Mike Sonko and 16 co-accused were set free due to insufficient evidence.
