John Chebochok, the newly elected Director of Toror Tea Factory faced another hurdle on Monday after the High Court in Kericho suspended his swearing-in ceremony.
The High Court suspended the ceremony slated to be held during the factory's Annual General Meeting directing that the event be suspended until the court heard the petition filed against him.
“THAT in the meantime the A.G.M scheduled for 18/7/2024 to swear in Mr. John Chebochok into office as director is suspended. THAT the matter is scheduled for ruling on 15/8/2024,” read the court documents.
Further, the court directed that the petitioners, Usikimye CBO, Oxfam, Wangu Kanja Foundation and two others serve written submissions within three days while the respondents, Chebochok, KTDA, the Tea Board of Kenya, Tegat Tea Factory and the IEBC, reply within a s similar time-period from the date of being served.
“THAT the petitioners to have 3 days to file and serve written submissions and THAT the respondents and the interested parties to have 3 days from the date of service to file and serve written submissions,” read the orders.
John Chebochok was voted in as the Director of the Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) for the Toror Tea Zone in elections conducted by the the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
However, Chebochok’s candidacy and subsequent win came under scrutiny after allegations stemming from an investigative report published by the BBC, portraying him sexually harassing women working at Kericho tea farms resurfaced.
In the documentary, Chebochok was filmed demanding sexual favours from women seeking employment opportunities at the tea farms.
However, despite the video expose, no case was filed as the victims did not come forward.
Human rights groups both locally and internationally as well as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have demanded that he relinquish his position over the allegations hanging over his head.
However, Chebochok has maintained a hard stance, declining to resign claiming that he was duly elected.
Following public uproar, KTDA came out to distance itself from Chebochok being cleared to run, arguing that is IEBC's mandate.
