Former Kemri boss Davy Koech, who was jailed for six years in September 2021 for corruptly obtaining Sh19.3 million, is among 37 individuals pardoned by President William Ruto.
At the same time, President Ruto has commuted all death sentences imposed before November 21, 2022, to life imprisonment on the recommendation of the Power of Mercy advisory committee.
The pardons are contained in the July 21 gazette notice by Attorney General Justin Muturi.
In September last year, the High Court declined to quash the corruption conviction against the former managing director of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri).
Prof Koech had wanted the court to review Magistrate Victor Wakumile’s decision rendered in September 2021, which found him guilty of corruptly acquiring Sh19.3 million public funds and sentenced him to a six-year jail term.
Describing the decision as faulty, he sought an order quashing the conviction and the subsequent sentence imposed by the lower court.
However, Justice Esther Maina dismissed the request, saying Prof Koech had failed to demonstrate how the trial court erred in convicting him for the corruption offence.
