Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has been formally charged with two counts of conflict of interest and one count of unlawful acquisition of public property. He appeared before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi following his arrest by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged financial irregularities amounting to Ksh 1.4 billion.
Governor Natembeya denied all charges brought against him.
The prosecution alleges that Natembeya orchestrated the misappropriation of county funds and is linked to a contractor, Desmond Shivachi, who is suspected to be his proxy. Several top county officials, including Chief Officer for Finance Emanuel Masungo, Chief Officer for Water Dorothy Nyukuri, and Procurement Director Eliyah Liambula, are expected to be charged alongside the governor.
In a dramatic turn, prosecutors urged the court to deny Natembeya bail, citing incidents of vandalism reportedly carried out by his supporters. According to the prosecution, demonstrators destroyed property, including vehicles belonging to the EACC and the police, shortly after the governor’s arrest.
Natembeya’s legal defense team features high-profile political allies, including DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa and Roots Party leader George Wajackoyah. The legal team is being led by prominent lawyer Ndegwa Njiru.
The court is expected to rule on the bail application later this week as investigations continue into the alleged misuse of county funds.
Written By Rodney Mbua
