NAIROBI, Kenya – A Nairobi court has ordered the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to hand over all evidence it intends to rely on in the corruption case against Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
The directive, issued Tuesday, follows the prosecution’s admission that it had not complied with an earlier court order requiring disclosure of material to the defence.
“Those documents and statements ought to have been supplied by now… I therefore direct the prosecution to comply with the earlier orders,” the magistrate ruled.
Governor Natembeya is facing three charges: unlawful acquisition of public property, conflict of interest, and indirectly benefiting from public funds.
Prosecution Seeks More Time
State Counsel Victor Awiti, representing the ODPP, requested an additional two weeks to furnish the documents, citing difficulties in accessing records from Trans Nzoia County offices.
“Most of the documents are to be obtained from Trans Nzoia County, and we have been unable to access them. We are requesting an additional two weeks to comply,” Awiti told the court.
The defence, however, strongly objected to the request, accusing the prosecution of misusing the court process.
“Why would they visit the county offices without informing us, so that our legal team could be present? Now they are asking for more time. That is not how the criminal justice system operates—you do not charge someone first, then begin looking for evidence,” the defence said.
The court gave the prosecution until June 16, 2025, to provide all relevant documents, when the case will next be mentioned.
Shortly after the court session ended, plainclothes police officers arrested three individuals outside the courtroom, believed to be staff members from the Trans Nzoia County government.
The motive behind the arrests was not immediately clear.
