The Anti-Corruption Court sitting in Nairobi has for the second time freed three former government officials and two businessmen linked to the Ksh3.5 billion Anglo Leasing scandal for lack of evidence.

Trial magistrate Felix Kombo on Friday, January 19, 2024, set free former permanent secretaries Dave Mwangi, Joseph Magari, and former senior treasury employee David Onyonka, businessmen Deepak and Rashmi Kamani saying the prosecution failed to prove the multiple corruption charges facing them.

In his ruling on a case to answer, Kombo acquitted all accused persons saying that there was no sufficient evidence to warrant the court to place them on their defence.

“Having examined the evidence presented in court, I have concluded that the prosecution has failed to prove a case against the accused warranting to put them on their defence and therefore acquit them for lack of evidence,” Kombo ruled.

All of them were facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the government through the multi-billion shilling Anglo-Leasing contract for the modernization of police security equipment and accessories.

The prosecution alleged that between October 30, 2003, and April 14, 2004, the accused persons conspired with others to engage in a scheme to defraud the government of Kenya Ksh3.5 billion through a suppliers credit contract agreement for the modernisation of the Police Security Equipment and Accessories project.