Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya was on Monday afternoon presented before the Milimani Law Courts, following his arrest earlier in the day by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Natembeya was taken into custody shortly after a morning raid at his Milimani residence in Kitale, where EACC officials, backed by armed police officers, conducted a search believed to be related to ongoing corruption investigations.
The Governor now faces five criminal charges—three counts of conflict of interest and two counts of unlawful acquisition of public property, according to documents filed in court by the prosecution.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that the charges stem from allegations of improperly awarding county tenders to entities linked to the governor and misappropriation of public assets during his tenure.
The arrest of Natembeya, a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration and a prominent figure in the opposition, comes amid heightened political tension.
His supporters have decried the move as politically motivated, while EACC maintains the arrest is part of its broader mandate to fight graft across all levels of government.
The Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), under which Natembeya was elected, has condemned the arrest and described it as an attempt to silence dissenting voices.
Governor Natembeya is expected to respond to the charges during a formal plea session. If found guilty, he could face heavy fines, loss of public office, or a jail term, depending on the severity of the offenses.
The case will proceed under the oversight of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division of the High Court in Nairobi.
This is a developing story. More details to follow.
