Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to multiple corruption charges involving over KSh 6 million in alleged irregular county payments. The governor appeared before Magistrate C.N. Ondieki at the Anti-Corruption Court after spending the night in custody at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices.
According to the charge sheet, Natembeya faces three counts: unlawful acquisition of public property, conflict of interest, and indirect benefit from public funds. The prosecution alleges that between January 1, 2023, and April 30, 2025, the governor benefited financially from payments made by the county to companies linked to him.
Key among the accusations is that the governor indirectly profited from transactions between the county government and one Mercy Chelangat, director of Lyma Agro Science and proprietor of Maira Store. Both entities, along with Easterly Winds Limited, also allegedly tied to Natembeya, received a combined total of KSh 3,252,568 from the county.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, State Prosecutor, Alex Akhula, opposed the governor’s release on bail, citing active investigations and the potential for witness interference. Akhula argued that the accused holds influence over junior staff who are listed as key witnesses, and claimed that vital documents had recently disappeared following vandalism of EACC vehicles.
“There is a real risk of evidence tampering and intimidation of witnesses, most of whom are under the governor’s authority,” Akhula told the court.
In a spirited rebuttal, Natembeya’s lead counsel, Njeru, dismissed the prosecution’s claims as unsubstantiated and politically driven. He argued that the state’s affidavit lacked factual backing and warned against what he termed as the weaponization of the judicial system.
“We believe this is an attempt to intimidate political opponents ahead of the 2027 elections. The court should not be drawn into such schemes,” Njeru stated, urging the court to grant bail.
The court is expected to rule on the bail application later this week. Meanwhile, the case continues to stir political debate in Trans Nzoia and beyond.
Written By Rodney Mbua
