Davy Koech, a former director of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), has been pardoned by President William Ruto after being found guilty of defrauding the government of Ksh19.3 million and receiving a six-year prison sentence.
A gazette notice issued on July 21 stated that Koech was one of 37 people the President had pardoned as a result of the Power of Mercy Act of 2011 with the recommendation of the Advisory Committee.
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It is notified for the general information of the public that in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 133 of the Constitution of Kenya and section 23 (1) of the Power of Mercy Act, 2011, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Power of Mercy, granted the petitions of…
the Gazzette Notice Read.
Koech was found guilty on three counts including the unlawful acquisition of public assets and sentenced to pay a Ksh19.6 million fine or serve six years in prison. According to court records, he used his position to improperly transfer funds from the Vector Biological and Control Research (VBCR) account to himself.
In a letter to the president in September of last year, Dr. Koech pleaded for pardon. The former KEMRI boss insisted that even though he had returned the Sh21.2 million in cash, he was still jailed. He wrote that his health had deteriorated while in jail suffering a severe stroke and hypertension. He also said that he had suffered from depression and stuttering in his speech while in incarceration.
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In the same notice, the President reduced to life in prison the execution sentences of capital offenders who were convicted before November 21, 2022.
