Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok has suffered a blow after the out-of-Court settlement failed.
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court had given the DPP until September 16 2026, to review Barchok's request to have the charges withdrawn through an out-of-court settlement, but talks failed. On September 17 2026, the court set the matter for full hearing.
The embattled county boss is out on Sh5 million cash bail under strict conditions.
He is barred from accessing county procurement records, contacting prosecution witnesses or making public pronouncements about the case.
Once the prosecution closes its case, the court will decide whether Barchok has a case to answer and should be placed on his defence.
On Thursday, September 17, 2026, Barchok appeared in Milimani Anti-Corruption Court in an ongoing case filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over a Sh2.7 million graft case.
EACC filed the petition on grounds that the governor and two others are charged with conflict of interest, acquisition of proceeds of crime and Money laundering.
The allegations relate to the governor's receipt of a benefit of Sh2.7 million from companies that traded with the County Government of Bomet to the tune of Sh152.3 million between the Financial Years 2019/2020 and 2024/2026.
The charges stem from a series of transactions involving the award of tenders by the Bomet County Government to Chemasus Construction Limited.
Barchok faced seven counts in total. In the first charge, the prosecution alleged that between November 14, 2020, and March 10, 2021, he knowingly acquired an indirect private interest worth Sh2 million in tenders awarded to Chemasus Construction for the routine maintenance of the Kimenderit–Kotoibek–Olbutyo Bridge Road and the hire of a grader.
The second count accused Barchok of acquiring proceeds of crime. It is alleged that on March 10, 2021, he irregularly received Sh2 million from Chemasus Construction Limited, a payment reportedly linked to the award of the aforementioned tenders.
Further charges involved suspicious financial transactions conducted through the Governor’s personal Equity Bank accounts.
Prosecutors claim that the funds believed to be proceeds of crime were later transferred to third-party accounts in an apparent attempt to obscure their origin.
In the seventh and final count, Barchok, Evans Kipkoech Korir, and his company, Chemasus Construction Limited, were jointly charged with money laundering.
The prosecution alleges that the accused parties knowingly transferred Sh2 million to conceal the source of the funds.
Also on June 18, 2026, a court in Nakuru jailed the county boss and other county officials for one month for contempt of court.
Still, on the same date, the governor was in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA, attending the Gotap Gaa international conference and AGM from June 18-21.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court sitting in Kericho ordered the Bomet Police Station OCS to arrest Barchok and six other county officials for contempt of court.
In a letter dated June 24, 2026, from Lady Justice Anne Mwaure and signed by the Deputy Registrar, it reads: "You are hereby commanded to arrest the seven individuals and bring them before the court, "Reads the letter.
The court named Kenya County Government Workers Union as the claimant, while the County Government of Bomet and the County Public Service Board were the 1st and 2nd respondents, respectively.
The respondents are Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok, County Secretary Simon Langat, CEC Finance Milga Rono, Chairperson of the County Public Service Board Eng. Alexander Ngeno, County Public Service Board CEO Emmy Chesang, and Erick Rono (Retired HR Manager). Others are County Public Service Board members David Tuei, Elijah Byegon, Paul Kirui, Cecilia Ngetich and Millicent Soi.
The case arose from court proceedings in which the Employment and Labour Relations Court directed the Bomet County Government to reinstate 595 employees whose contracts were allegedly terminated unlawfully.
The officials were found guilty of disobeying the reinstatement directive issued on March 29, 2026.
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