Former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu at a past function. [Photo/zipo.co.ke]
A court has freed five people who were charged alongside former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu over a land case.
Ngilu and her co-accused were taken to court over corruption links to Sh8 billion land saga in Karen.
The Kitui gubernatorial candidate's case was terminated in early this year on the grounds that the trial was unconstitutional.
On June 19, Ngilu was arraigned in court with obstruction the officials of the commission tasked with investigation of the 134 acre piece of land.
On March, Paul Muite sought Ngilu’s case quashed in which appellate judges Jamila Mohamed, Wanjiru Karanja and Al Nasir Visram.
The five accused alongside Ngilu were former National Social Security Fund managing trustee Josephat Konzolo, former senior land registrars Pauline Wanjiku Gatimu, Sarah Njuhi Mwenda and Mark Muigai Wanderi.
The others are Mr Macmillan Mutinda Mutiso and Mr James Mbaluka.
According to the court of appeal, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a mistake for ordering their trial.
Through lawyer Stephen Bundotich, the accused argued the trial was unconstitutional.
The panel hearing the case noted that the case was irregular since probing started after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) received orders from the President. The head of state issued the directive during the State of the Nation address on March 26, 2015.
On Friday, the court said that the case could not proceed because Chairman Mumo Matemu had presented his resignation letter.