Kiambu finance chief William Kimani sentenced to 6 months in jail
A Milimani High Court has jailed Kiambu County Chief Officer William Kinyanjui Kimani for six months without the option of a fine for disobeying court orders.
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, High Court Judge Roselyne Aburili sentenced the county finance officer for failing to pay a city lawyer Ksh52 million, which he owes the Kiambu County Government as legal fees.
Kimani was sent to prison after being found guilty of contempt of court regarding the payment to the lawyer.
The court had issued an order in late 2022, directing him to pay a city lawyer Ksh52 million in legal fees.
The court had ordered the County Government of Kiambu, through the finance officer, to pay the city lawyer his dues, which Kimani did not honour.
On March 17, 2025, the court ordered him to appear in court on the same matter, but he did not show up again.
However, after almost one year of hide and seek with the authorities, Kimani surrendered himself at the Milimani High Court on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, where he was sentenced.
Kimani surrendered after the Judicial Review Division Court in Milimani, through Judge Aburili, issued an order directing the Kiambu County Police Commander to arrest him and present him in court.
Upon surrendering himself, the judge sentenced him to serve six months in the Industrial Area Remand Prison.
Further, Justice Aburili ordered the Kiambu County Government to pay the city lawyer the money it owes him immediately.
Kimani was first found guilty of disregarding court orders by Judge Jairus Ngaah, who warned the respondents (the Kiambu County Secretary, the Finance/County Treasurer, and the County Government of Kiambu) of severe consequences for contempt of court.
“There is evidence that indeed the order the respondents are alleged to be in contempt of was extracted, and on its face, there is endorsed a penal notice warning the respondents that disobedience of the order would be in contempt of court and would attract penal consequences,” part of the ruling read.
In his ruling, Judge Ngaah also cited that there was evidence, through a sworn affidavit by court process server Peter Maundu Keli, showing that the respondents (Kiambu County Secretary and the County Treasurer) were not only served with the order on June 29, 2023, but also acknowledged service.
“In the absence of any evidence that the order has been complied with, I hereby find the 1st and 2nd respondents (Kiambu County Secretary and the County Treasurer) to be in contempt of court,” Judge Ngaah ruled.
