Kenya Medical Research Institute board chairperson Abdullahi Ali has welcomed the move by the President to pardon former institution’s boss Davy Koech.
Ali has acknowledged that human beings make mistakes and that is why there is the Presidential pardon.
The Head of State on Tuesday pardoned Koech.
He noted that under his reign at the helm as Director General, he steered Kemri to new heights and made the institution grow to the levels where it is right now.
“There might be a lot of politics about it, they might be saying a lot of things about it but facts will remain. I want to thank the president for pardoning Davy Koech; without him there would have been no Kemri,” he said.
“He has done a lot of hard work. Human beings make mistakes and that is why the issue of pardoning is there and we want to thank the President for making sure that at least he is able to stay with his family at this time,” he added.
Koech had in September 2021 been sentenced to a six-year jail term for fraudulently acquiring Sh19.3 million.
He was among 37 individuals the Head of State pardoned under the Power of Mercy Act 2011 upon the recommendation of the Advisory Committee.
At the same time, Ruto commuted all death sentences imposed before November 21, 2022, to life imprisonment on the recommendation of the committee.
Attorney General Justin Muturi ratified the pardon in a gazette notice dated July 21, 2023.
Koech had in the past appealed the ruling by Magistrate Victor Wakumile that was pronounced in September 2021, arguing that it was flawed.
