In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Court acquitted former TNA Secretary General and Kisumu County Assembly Speaker George Onyango Oloo and 11 co-accused in the protracted KSh 4.5 billion Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) corruption case effectively bringing one of Kenya’s most high-profile graft trials to a dramatic close nearly six years after it began.
The acquittal follows an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to withdraw the charges due to lack of evidence. However, the court declined to terminate the case under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code a provision that would have allowed for re-arrest and instead issued a full acquittal, citing insufficient evidence to sustain any of the 13 corruption charges filed against the accused.
Addressing the media in Kisumu shortly after the ruling, Oloo launched a scathing critique of Kenya’s anti-graft institutions, questioning both their integrity and independence.
“Today, the 3rd of June 2025, marks almost six years since I was first dragged before the Anti-Corruption Court,” Oloo said. “We were accused of orchestrating a loss of over KSh 4.5 billion. Thirteen charges were filed. Witnesses testified. Yet not a shred of evidence held.”
Oloo said the decision to fully acquit, rather than withdraw, was a deliberate statement by the judiciary acknowledging that the prosecution had no case from the onset. “The court made it clear even from the affidavits filed by the EACC and ODPP themselves that there was no merit to the charges. We stand acquitted. We are free men.”
But the acquittal came with a warning. Oloo raised serious concerns about the politicisation of Kenya’s anti-corruption apparatus, describing the case as an abuse of prosecutorial power that eroded public trust.
“This ruling leaves many questions,” he said. “Was the EACC used for political games? Is the DPP truly independent? Was state capture at play in our case?”
Oloo vowed to speak out about the experience and the wider implications for Kenya’s fight against corruption.
“I will consult my lawyer on the way forward, but I am determined to share the truth with Kenyans about the dangers of politically weaponised prosecutions and the deep-rooted institutional decay threatening our democracy.”
The ruling marks a critical juncture in Kenya’s anti-graft efforts, raising fresh doubts about the effectiveness and impartiality of agencies tasked with fighting corruption. While the acquittal offers closure for the accused, it reopens a broader conversation about justice, accountability, and the political undercurrents that continue to influence Kenya’s legal system.
