Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi has concluded his three days sworn defense before Justice Charles Ondieki in the KES 20 million graft case in which he is charged alongside Antony Ombok Jamal.
Resting his defense Sonko said the prosecution failed to lead evidence to prove the graft allegations then urged Justice Ondieki to acquit him under Section 215 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
“I am innocent. I did not parricipate in corruption deals. Instead I fought corruption when I was the governor to the best of my ability. The charges against me a frame-up by my political detractors who were unhappy with stance on corruption,” Sonko told the trial judge.
Both Sonko and Ombok had been acquitted by a former anti-corruption court chief magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
The decision by Mr Ogoti was faultered by ant-corruption high court Judge Nixon Sifuna who ordered the duo be placed on their defense.
Justice Sifuna overturned their acquittal.
In his defense Sonko exonerated himself from blame saying he fought graft tooth and nail at City Hall during his watch as the governor.
Sonko told the judge that he even caused the arrest of alleged corrupt staff from whose desk drawers money was recovered.
It is alleged that Sonko and Ombok, a director of ROG Security Limited, conspired to extort KES 20 million from Web Tribe Limited as an inducement to facilitate payments to Nairobi County in connection with a revenue contract in 2019.
Sonko took to the witness stand following a rare decision and possibly the first of its kind since independence where the Chief Justice Martha Koome has allowed Judge who was elevated from the magistracy to return to the subordinate court to conclude a part-heard case.
Justice Ondieki, of the Enviroment and Lands Court was allowed to return to conclude the hearing of the Sh20million graft case against former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, which he had been trying before his promotion.
Mr Sonko through his defense lawyer Assa Nyakundi wrote to the Justice Koome requesting she allows Justice Ondieki return to the lower court to complete the case against him which was at “the defense level.”
When the then magistrate was elevated to become of Judge in May 2026, he had placed Sonko on his defense alongside Ombok.
In the letter dated June 9,2026 Mr Sonko urged the CJ to consider that the case had been pending in court for long and prosecution had concluded calling witnesses.
When Justice Ondieki resumed receiving evidence, Sonko played both video and audio recording of persons he claimed had been sent from State House to interfere with his trial with a view to securing a conviction.
Mr Sonko claimed that his prosecution was hatched and commandeered from state house following his alleged fall-out with a former president.
“Agents from State house were sent to meddle with this case including interference with my defense to abandon me,” Sonko told the judge.
At that juncture Sonko played videos he recorded with the state house operatives who were unleashed to frustrate my case.
He further alleged that the alleged state house operatives had also interfered with his impeachment case to ensure he does not survive his removal onslaught.
The former governor also dropped the name of a former judge Said Juma Chitembwe who was allegedly impressed upon not to fault his impeachment by dismissing his petition.
Mr Sonko mounted a spirited defense in the KES 20 million graft case against him maintaining that his prosecution was orchestrated by powerful individuals in the former regime who opposed his firm grip and stance against graft at City Hall.
Mr Sonko told the court that the charges were not grounded in law but were politically instigated
engineered to punish and silence him for taking on entrenched interests within the county government.
Sonko claimed that the individuals held meetings at State House, where they invited senior staff in the county to plot for his downfall.
Hearing continues on October 15, 2026, when Ombok begins to defend self.
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