Bomet Governor Hillary Kipng’eno Barchok and former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati were on Tuesday, September 2, arraigned at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi over corruption-related charges.
The two leaders arrived at the court in the morning under tight police escort and were briefly held in the cells on September 1 while awaiting arraignment. Wangamati had presented himself at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters on Monday after being summoned over graft investigations.
They were joined by several co-accused persons who, according to investigators, were linked to financial dealings at the centre of the case. The arraignment followed weeks of probe by the EACC into alleged irregularities in county government operations.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the investigations unearthed claims of procurement fraud, conflict of interest, and misuse of public funds during their tenure. Governor Barchok faces charges of conflict of interest and unlawful acquisition of public property, while Wangamati is accused of conflict of interest over payments said to have been channelled through companies connected to him and his associates.
On Friday, August 29, the EACC named over ten other individuals linked to companies suspected of being used to siphon county funds. In a statement, EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud directed the suspects to present themselves for processing and arraignment at Integrity Centre on September 1.
“The accused named above are directed to present themselves at the EACC Headquarters, Integrity Centre, on Monday, 1st September 2025, at 8:00 am for processing and arraignment,” read part of the statement.
At the Milimani Court, the accused were processed before appearing to plead to the charges. Wangamati, who faces 27 counts including conflict of interest and acquisition of proceeds of crime, has denied any wrongdoing.
The matter will continue before the Anti-Corruption Court as the ODPP pursues charges against the two leaders and their co-accused. Meanwhile, Governor Barchok has maintained his duties in Bomet, even as he addressed residents in recent days amid mounting pressure over the corruption allegations.
