Former minister Amos Kimunya defends himself against fraud charges

In his defence, Kimunya dismissed the prosecution’s case as baseless and unsubstantiated. 

He told the court that no credible witness had directly implicated him, noting that nine of the 17 prosecution witnesses confirmed he neither contacted them nor interfered with the transaction in question.

On the central charge of fraud, Kimunya emphasized his long-standing commitment to anti-corruption efforts and the protection of public resources. 

He explained that as Minister for Lands, his role was guided strictly by law, and clarified that the trustee position central to the case was held by the Ministers for Finance and Agriculture.

“This is a serious fraud charge, yet I have spent a significant part of my career fighting economic crimes,” Kimunya said. 

He recounted his anti-corruption work dating back to 1991, including helping draft fraud legislation, undergoing training as an economic crimes investigator in London, and serving on a taskforce reviewing economic crimes in Kenya under former Attorney General Amos Wako.

“I would not engage in any act that compromises public assets, given my background in anti-corruption,” he said.

Kimunya argued that the prosecution had failed to prove any element of fraud against him. 

“There was no evidence showing what I did that constituted fraud or how my actions caused any loss. This charge is unfortunate,” he added. He also clarified: “My office did not engage with the transaction. I did not commit any act of fraud or dispose of the land.”

He further explained that Midlands Limited, the company at the centre of the case, was a public entity owned by farmers in Nyandarua who sought to add value to their produce.

Kimunya, a former National Assembly Majority Leader, is charged alongside Lilian Wangiri Njenga and Junghae Wainaina, an official of Midlands Ltd. The charges stem from events in 2005 when Kimunya allegedly oversaw the allocation of 25 acres of public land to Midlands Ltd, valued at approximately Ksh.60 million.

The land in question was originally part of a 75-acre parcel allocated to the Njabini Agricultural Training Centre, a government facility established to train farmers and promote agricultural development.

The hearing continues, with Kimunya maintaining his innocence and describing the case as weak and politically motivated.