Deputy President William Ruto's farm manager was on Friday, January 31, arrested over an alleged illegal water connection in Taita Taveta County.
Daily Nation reported that Arie Dempers, a South African national, is said to have been nabbed after a day's long inspection by the police at Ruto's vast Kisima Farm.
Previously, area residents had complained that Ruto's acquisition of the 1,000-acre ranch from former MP Basil Criticos, had seen the main water pipeline diverted to serve the farm, on which livestock is reared.
County Police Commander Said Kiprotich stated that government officials, who were allowed to access the farm found an illegal pipe at the farm.
In addition, Kiprotich stated that the officials had been denied entry by the farm management but were later allowed inside when they showed up with police officers.
"Tavevo Water and Sewerage Company officials escorted by the police inspected the farm and found a three-quarter-inch pipe, which was illegally connected. It is just a small pipe," he told the publication.
Further, he stated that the suspect had been detained but was later released on a police bond.
"We are still waiting for the county government to tell us what to do with the case because it has its own by-laws," he concluded.
The farm in question is located in Mata Ward, 27 kilometres from Taveta Town.
The bone of contention is access to the Grogan Canal which draws its waters from streams in the Njoro area and drains into the farm.
Residents and herders claimed that they were denied access to the canal which was built in the colonial era, with water allegedly diverted to the ranch which contains cattle and goats.
