This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
Published on September 19, 2019, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has been granted a temporary reprieve in a case where he is accused of malicious damage to property, incitement to violence, and abuse of public office.
Senior Resident Magistrate Beryl Omollo temporarily suspended the hearing of the case, pending the determination of a suit filed by Sang before the High Court. The case was initially set to resume on January 23, 2020.
According to court documents, Sang is accused of jointly destroying tea bushes valued at Sh2 million at Kibwari Tea Estate in June this year. He is also accused of inciting locals to violence and authorizing the use of county tractors to destroy tea bushes.
Sang denied all the charges and was released on a Sh1 million bond. His lawyers argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to try the case, citing a court order issued by the Eldoret High Court that barred the prosecution of Sang in regards to one of the parcels of land.
However, the prosecutor dismissed the claims, stating that the parcels of land in question were different and had no linkage with one another.
As the case continues, Sang's lawyers have requested that the proceedings be stayed until the High Court determines the matter.
