Nairobi — Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has suffered another legal setback after the High Court rejected his plea to ease bond terms that require him to secure a Sh53 million bank guarantee.
The court turned down his request to substitute the guarantee with a cash deposit, meaning Waititu will remain in custody as his appeal proceeds.
During Wednesday's hearing, Waititu's lawyers argued that commercial banks had declined to issue the guarantee, making it impossible for him to comply with the bond terms.
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His counsel further noted that he had been receiving medical treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital but remained in custody because of the stringent conditions.
However, Justice Lucy Njuguna declined to amend the orders.
"I will not vary those orders. Honestly, I did the best I could based on the material placed before me. You placed material that persuaded me and I was gracious enough to grant those orders," the judge ruled.
Further applications blocked
She reminded the defense that this was not the first attempt to seek relief and pointed out that other accused persons in the same case, still in custody, had raised concerns about delays.
"That's why I gave 120 days, and for the record, the 120 days start from today. It's on that basis that I said no more fresh applications should be made so that we concentrate on the appeal and get it out of the way," Justice Njuguna said.
The court directed that the appeal be concluded within 120 days, discouraging further attempts to vary bond terms and stressing the need for timely resolution.
Waititu was convicted in February 2025 by the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court for irregularly awarding tenders and failing to protect public funds while serving as Kiambu governor.
He was found guilty of accepting Sh25 million in kickbacks tied to a Sh588 million road contract and was handed a 12-year prison sentence, with the option of paying a Sh53.5 million fine.
The High Court's latest ruling means Waititu will remain behind bars pending the determination of his appeal after failing to meet bond requirements.
