Amos Kimunya was Tuesday back at the Anti-corruption Court in Milimani for trial in the revived Sh60 million land fraud case.
The retrial comes days after the High Court reversed the 2020 acquittal of the former National Assembly Majority Leader and his two co-accused; former director of land adjudication Lillian Wangiri Njenga, and Junghae Wainaina, chairman of the board of Midlands Limited.
Justice Esther Maina of the High Court ruled that contrary to the ruling of the trial magistrate court that acquitted the trio, the prosecution had established a strong case against them.
Justice Maina said they should have been put in defence over allegations of fraud and abuse of office.
On Tuesday, Milimani Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi released Amos Kimunya on a cash bail of Sh700,000.
Wangiri and Wanaina were each granted a Sh1 million cash bail.
Kimunya is facing seven criminal counts while Wangiri and Wainaina have eight counts. They are accused of irregularly transferring 25 acres of land worth Sh60 million in Nyandarua to a private company when Kimunya was a minister in 2005.
Magistrate Mugambi also rejected a plea by Kimunya to have the case rehandled by Magistrate Felix Kombo.
“Kombo made his decision in this case but the same was overturned by the High Court after finding it to be improper. My view is that this matter is tried before another court,” Mugambi ruled.
The former Kipipiri MP becomes the first politician in the former administration of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta to face corruption charges.
Defence hearing is scheduled to start on October 31.
