Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok Released on Bail in Sh2 Million Corruption Case
Governor and Co-accused Granted Bail Amid Graft Allegations
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok has been granted bail following his arraignment on corruption charges involving Sh2 million. The court set a cash bail of Sh5 million or an alternative bond of Sh15 million after Barchok denied the allegations.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, Trial Magistrate Ziporah Gichana emphasized the gravity of the charges, noting that the alleged offenses occurred while Barchok was still in office. “The first accused faces seven counts. I hereby grant him a bond of Sh15 million or, alternatively, a cash bail of Sh5 million,” she stated.
Evans Kipkoech Korir, Barchok’s co-accused, was also released on bail, with the court setting a bond of Sh5 million or a cash bail of Sh1 million. Both defendants were ordered to surrender their passports, avoid commenting publicly on the case, and remain within the court’s jurisdiction unless granted permission to leave.
The magistrate dismissed a defense request to review the bail terms. The case is scheduled for a pretrial mention on September 17.
Details of the Charges
Barchok faces accusations including conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition, and use of proceeds from criminal activity. Prosecutors allege that between November 2019 and March 2021, he improperly benefited from contracts awarded to Chemasus Construction Limited by the Bomet County Government, receiving Sh2 million deposited into his Equity Bank account.
Court records reveal that on March 15, 2021, Barchok transferred Sh300,000 to another personal account, followed by transactions of Sh314,000 and Sh100,000 on March 20, 2021. Additionally, on March 29, 2021, he is said to have sent Sh750,000 to an individual named Morris Munene Kinyua.
Alongside Korir and Chemasus Construction Limited, Barchok is charged with money laundering, accused of orchestrating the transfer of funds to obscure their origin.
Defense and Prosecution Positions
Represented by lawyer Issa Mansour, Barchok refuted the charges, with the defense asserting he is not a flight risk. Mansour informed the court that the governor cut short an overseas trip to respond to the summons and voluntarily surrendered to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), thereby conserving investigative resources.
Korir, through his lawyer Julius Anyoka, also voluntarily presented himself to the EACC on September 1. Anyoka highlighted Korir’s willingness to cooperate, noting that he even used a boda boda motorcycle to navigate heavy traffic en route to the commission’s offices.
Prosecutor Vincent Monda did not oppose the bail application but requested the court to caution the accused against interfering with witnesses or making public statements about the case.
