New Twist in Governor Sang Case After Magistrate Withdraws Himself

Kisumu Chief Magistrate, Julius Ngarngar, cast a fresh twist into Nandi Governor, Stephen Sang's case following his move to recuse himself on Tuesday.

Ngarngar disqualified himself from the entire case citing the existence of a conflict of interest that would potentially compromise his need to be impartial.

He went ahead and declared that he had close relations with the accused, thereby placing his sworn ethical code of conduct under jeopardy.

The Chief Magistrate then referred the entire matter to resident Magistrate, Beryl Omollo, who duly took over the case and is reportedly expected to make her ruling before 4pm on Tuesday.

Governor Sang had reportedly spent the night in a cell, with police declaring that they hadn't received any formal order or request to release him.

Nyanza County Police Commander, Vincent Makokha, affirmed that they held the governor in custody following the destruction of Kibwari Tea Estate over the weekend.

Reports had indicated that Eldoret High Court Judge, Stephen Githinji, had issued orders against the arrest of Governor Sang but Makokha was adamant that no such order ever made it to his precinct.

“We were not aware of any court injunction stopping the county boss' arrest and we adhered to the 24-hour rule of presenting a suspect before the court,” Makokha divulged.

The Nandi Governor had been escorted to Kisumu under very tight security following his dramatic arrest during which his staunch supporters forced to disperse by use of force and tear-gas canisters, as they had followed his convoy all the way to Kisumu.

Sang was arrested when he presented himself to the authorities in Kapsabet in relation to the uprooting of tea plants at Kibwari farm which he claimed had been grabbed.

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