Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has been released on a Ksh1 million bond or a cash bail of Ksh500,000 after being charged with graft.
The governor, who faces two counts of conflict of interest and one count of unlawful acquisition of public property, has also been barred from accessing his office for the next 60 days.
Principal Magistrate Charles Ondieki also barred the county chief, a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration, from leaving the country without the permission of the court and warned him against any attempt to interfere with witnesses in the case.
Natembeya was further prohibited from commenting on the case in whatever manner, either in the media or a public forum.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the governor is alleged to have unlawfully acquired Ksh3.25 million in public funds between January 1, 2023, and April 30, 2025, through payments made by the county government of Trans Nzoia in circumstances that constituted a conflict of interest.
He was also charged with two counts of conflict of interest under the Anti-graft and Economic Crimes Act, 2003. The prosecution told the court that during the same period, Natembeya acquired indirect financial benefits of Ksh1.12 million and Ksh2.12 million from individuals whose businesses traded with the county government.
Natembeya denied the charges before the court, even as the prosecution maintained that the Ksh4.2 million he allegedly received was linked to county tenders.
However, earlier at the beginning of the proceedings, Natembeya's lawyers, led by Eugene Wamalwa, raised concerns over what they indicated was a sinister move by the Ethics and Anti-graft Commission (EACC) to change particulars in the charge sheet.
According to Wamalwa, the EACC had initially indicated that the governor would be in the dock over a Ksh4.1 billion graft, only to get to be handed a charge sheet with the figures revised to Ksh.1.1 million and 2.1 million kickback allegations.
''In Anti-graft Court No 1, with a team of 20 lawyers representing Governor George Natembeya, a surprising development from yesterday’s EACC Kenya allegations of Kshs 1.4 billion, the charges have changed after holding the Governor overnight to Ksh1.1 m and Ksh2.1m kickbacks?'' Wamalwa said.
The case is set for pre-trial mention on June 3, 2025. The court directed the DPP—through Assistant Director Eliphas Ombati, Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Akula, and Victor Owiti, and Prosecution Counsel Abdisalam Bore—to furnish all documentary evidence before that date.
Earlier, a standoff ensued between supporters of Natembeya and the police outside the Milimani Law Courts, where he was appearing before the court over fraud allegations. The supporters demanded his unconditional release.
On Monday, the protestors caused mayhem in Kitale's Milimani estate, at the entrance of the governor's home, when they deflated and stoned vehicles belonging to the security agents who had gone to apprehend the county boss.
