Natembeya pleads not guilty to abuse of office, unlawful acquisition of Sh3.2 million charges
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission had yesterday linked him to Ksh 1.4 billion scandal
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has denied conflict of interest and unlawful acquisition of property charges levelled against him by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission following his arrest yesterday.
The governor, who spend the night at the Integrity Centre police station, appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Charles Ondieki where he was charged with two counts of conflict of interest and one count of unlawful acquisition of public property.
The Trans Nzoia County administrator was charged together with owner of Easterly Winds Limited, Emmanuel Masungo, from whom it is alleged he received a bribe from.
Masungo is also the Chief Officer for Finance in Trans Nzoia County.
According to the charge sheet, the former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner received a total of Ksh 3.2 million from two companies that traded with his devolved unit.
“Between January 2023 and April 2025, the governor knowingly acquired an indirect pecuniary interest in the sum of Sh1, 127, 900 from Mercy Chelengat, the director of Lyma Agro Science and proprietor of Maira Stores, which traded with the County Government of Trans Nzoia,” the particulars of the first charge read.
“Between January 2023 and April 2025, the governor knowingly acquired an indirect pecuniary interest in the sum of Sh2, 124, 668 from Emmanuel Wafula Masungo, the beneficial owner of Easterly Winds Limited, which traded with the County Government of Trans Nzoia,” the second one adds.
Natembeya is represented by a battery of lawyers, including Eugene Wamalwa, George Wajackoyah and Ndegwa Njiru.
Yesterday, the anti-graft authority agency had indicated that the governor has been arrested in relation to ongoing investigations by the anti-corruption Commission on procurement irregularities, abuse of office, bribery, and fraudulent acquisition of public funds worth Ksh 1.4 billion at the County.
EACC Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud said the allegations stemmed from three major county projects, including the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A), the construction of the County Headquarters and the Tom Mboya Hospital.
Mohamud had also revealed that the alleged misconduct was committed in the current financial year, dating back to the 2022/23 financial year.
“EACC is investigating allegations of procurement irregularities, abuse of office, bribery, and fraudulent acquisition of public funds totaling Sh1.4 billion at the County Government of Trans Nzoia. The investigations relate to three major county projects, which include the rehabilitation and Modernization of Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A), the Construction of the Trans Nzoia County Headquarters Offices and Tom Mboya Hospital,” he said.
Mohamud said contracts were awarded to Parbat Siyan Construction Limited, C.M. Construction Company Limited and Session Blue Contractors Limited respectively.
He added that the early morning raid at the residence of the governor in Milimani, Kitale resulted in the recovery of critical evidential material to support ongoing investigations.
Natembeya is alleged to have influenced the award of tenders and received kickbacks from contractors through proxies.
The EACC Secretary also said the Trans Nzoia Chief officer (Finance) Emmanuel Manungo, Chief Officer (Water) Dorothy Nyukuri, Director (Procurement) Eliyah Liambula and Desmond Shivachi, who was described as contractor/proxy of the governor, are persons of interest.
In addition, EACC said it is investigating allegations of money laundering and accumulation of unexplained wealth by senior county officials, which it said is suspected to be part of a broader scheme to conceal the proceeds of crime.
His arrest sparked protests outside his Milimani home in Kitale where five vehicles a team of detectives used during a raid to search for evidence were vandalised.
The EACC team had to be whisked away by General Service Unit officers who were called in after the regular police were overpowered.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has since launched a probe into the incident.
Trans Nzoia leaders led by Wamalwa said the arrest was politically-motivated.
