High Court stays jail term for suspended Nairobi Finance CEC Charles Kerich
The High Court has stayed a three-month prison sentence for suspended Nairobi Finance CEC Charles Kerich regarding unpaid legal fees to a law firm.
Charles Kerich, the suspended County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Finance, avoided immediate incarceration after the court lifted a three-month jail term. The ruling follows a legal dispute involving a Sh30 million payment made to a law firm.
Payment agreement and outstanding debt
The court proceedings addressed the outstanding financial obligations owed to legal representatives. While a portion of the debt has been addressed, a significant balance remains unpaid. Kerich has committed to a court-approved repayment structure to settle the remaining Sh106 million in legal fees.
The judicial decision allows the suspended official to remain out of custody while adhering to the agreed-upon financial schedule. This arrangement ensures that the legal firm can recover the funds through structured instalments rather than through the immediate enforcement of a custodial sentence.
Details of the legal dispute
The matter arose from complex legal fee disputes that led to the initial sentencing. Key elements of the case include:
- A verified payment of Sh30 million previously made to the law firm.
- An outstanding debt totalling Sh106 million currently under a repayment plan.
- The suspension of Kerich from his duties as the Nairobi Finance CEC.
The court's intervention focuses on the practical recovery of the debt. By approving the repayment plan, the judiciary has prioritised the settlement of the Sh106 million over the immediate imprisonment of the former official.
Kerich's legal team successfully argued for the stay of the sentence based on the commitment to clear the remaining liabilities. The court will monitor the progress of these payments to ensure compliance with the terms set out in the approved plan.
