Peter Gitaa Koria, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bomas of Kenya, has successfully overturned his suspension following a court ruling that the prosecution failed to substantiate the allegations against him. The Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered his immediate and unconditional reinstatement. Justice Nduma Nderi, who delivered the ruling, noted that Koria had met the necessary criteria for an interim injunction to reverse his suspension. The court highlighted that no criminal charges had been filed against Koria, and the suspension lacked proper procedural grounding, as disciplinary actions should have been initiated by the Bomas of Kenya Board.

Koria’s suspension in November 2023 was based on recommendations from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) due to alleged procurement irregularities. However, the court found that the suspension was not in accordance with the institution’s human resource policies, which do not outline disciplinary procedures for the CEO position. Consequently, Koria is set to resume his duties as CEO of Bomas of Kenya, pending further legal proceedings related to the petition.

This legal victory for Koria comes after a series of events, including his arrest and subsequent release on bail in April 2024, where he faced charges of procurement fraud amounting to Sh8.6 million. He was accused of engaging in procurement processes without an approved budget during the 2020/2021 financial year. Koria denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh1 million.