Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong will spend two nights in police custody awaiting a ruling on whether he will be released on bond after he denied abuse-of-office charges.
Mr Ojaamong was also accused of conspiracy to commit an economic crime and engaging in a project without proper planning. He was charged at the Milimani Law Courts together with county executive officer Bernard Yaite, Finance chief officer Allan Ekweny and Treasury head Samuel Ombui.
The four were taken to court from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters at Integrity House in handcuffs as their lawyers, James Orengo and Stephen Ligunya, protested that they were being humiliated yet they had not been proved guilty.
The prosecution, led by Alexander Muteti and Grace Muthoni, opposed their release on bail, saying they could interfere with witnesses as they were influential in the county.
Mr Muteti said most of the witnesses were junior officers from the county and the suspects could intimidate or dissuade them from testifying.
