Nandi governor Stephen Sang is likely to face trespass and malicious damage to private property after he was arrested in connection to invasion of Kibwari Tea estate in Nandi County over the weekend. He is set to be charged in a Kisumu based court today morning.
Yesterday, Eldoret High Court Judge Stephen Githinji issued orders stopping the police from arresting, prosecuting or questioning Sang following an application by the governor’s lawyer, Prof Tom Ojienda. The orders were given against the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Criminal Investigations and the Director of Public Prosecution.
Chaos broke out at Kapsabet Police Station where the governor was first taken after his arrest before police decided to move him to Kisumu over what they perceived as “hostile ground”. Police used lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the highly charged crowd that Sang had mobilised to accompany him to the station.
He was immediately bundled into a waiting police vehicle and driven to Kisumu. Shortly before presenting himself to the station after receiving police summons delivered to his office, the youthful governor went into hiding over the weekend.
However, he discounted police claims saying he was with the family and was oblivious of such orders for him to appear before the Nandi County DCI offices.
“Today morning I came to the office and learnt that summons were delivered for me to appear at DCI offices. And as I said I will follow the law, from here, I am heading to DCI to record statements and I will do that because that is the law and as a law abiding citizen I will go to the DCI. All the legal processes they want to follow, let them do it but it should be known that I received the summons today.” Sang said.
By yesterday evening, the governor was still recording statement at Kisumu County DCI offices. Sang said all the grabbed public utilities will be repossessed as the law provides. He castigated those condemning him for destruction of over 2500 tea bushes in one out of the four acres of the contentious land saying he cannot construct a cattle dip on a tea plantation.
“I want to tell you that yesterday there was no problem. I had not received warrant of arrest or summons. I hear some propagated claims that I was arrested. Yesterday, I did not have a program to go anywhere. You know we worked with you the whole of last week. Yesterday I decided to remain indoors with my kids. I hear some claim I am being sort.
If anybody is looking for me, I am in my Eldai home. Everyone knows my home. So I was just within. The governor and, a section of Nandi County Assembly Members and county employees are accused of maliciously damaging a four acres tea plantation owned by Kibwari Tea Estate jointly owned by a foreigner and veteran politician Henry Kosgei family.