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Governor Barchok denies fraudulently acquiring Sh2 million
Bomet Governor Hilary Barchok (left) with his co-accused Evans Korir Kipkoech in the dock at Milimani Law Courts over corruption charges.
Bomet Governor Hillary Kipng’eno Barchok has been charged with conflict of interest and acquisition of proceeds of crime totaling Sh2 million.
Mr Barchok is accused of irregularly benefiting from contracts awarded to Chemasus Construction Limited by the Bomet County government.
The charge sheet read to him stated that he knowingly acquired an indirect private interest of Sh2 million from contracts relating to routine road maintenance and the hire of construction equipment. It is alleged that he received the money between November 14, 2019, and March 10, 2021.
The prosecution alleged that the money was deposited by Chemasus Construction Ltd, to a bank account belonging to Mr Barchok.
The charge further stated that he later transferred and spent portions of the cash in several transactions, despite having reason to believe the funds were proceeds of crime.
Court documents detail that on March 15, 2021, Mr Barchok transferred Sh300,000 from one of his accounts into another.
The transaction was followed by another transfer of Sh314,000 on March 20, 2021, to a different account. On the same date, he allegedly moved Sh100,000 to another of his accounts.
Later, on March 29, 2021, he allegedly transferred Sh750,000 to an individual identified as Morris Munene Kinyua.
Mr Barchok was also jointly charged with Evans Kipkoech Korir and Chemasus Construction Limited, with an offence of money laundering, for allegedly arranging the transfer of Sh2 million from the contractor’s bank account into the Governor’s bank account, in a manner intended to conceal the source of the funds.
Mr Barchok denied the charges and, through his lawyer Issa Mansour, applied to be released on bond, saying he is not a flight risk.
Mr Mansour disclosed that the Bomet governor learnt about the case while in a trip outside the country and he flew back to face justice.
"The accused herein cut short his overseas trip and flew back to Kenya to face justice after learning from the media that the anti-graft body had summoned him to record a a statement and plead to charges", Mansour told court.
He added that Mr Barchok surrendered voluntarily to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Mr Kipkoech who is being represented by Julius Anyoka also said he presented himself at the EACC offices on September 1, to record a statement on the same.
He told trial magistrate Zipporah Gichana that he is a dairy farmer in Kericho and was forced to take a boda boda ride to the offices of EACC due to road traffic snarl up.
"I urge this court to consider the determination of Korir to face justice by riding a boda boda to the offices when he learnt from the media that he was being sought,” Mr Anyoka said.
The prosecutor Mr Vincent Monda did not opposed the bail application.
He however asked the magistrate to order the accused bot to comment on the case and interfere with witnesses.
They also ordered not to leave the court's jurisdiction without permission.
The court will rule on the bail application later today.
