Samburu Governor Lenolkulal needed to pay Sh100m cash bail

Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkural in the dock at a Milimani law court. [George Njunge/Standard]

The High Court has this afternoon given tough conditions for the release of Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal who is facing Sh84.7m corruption and fraud charges.

The governor is required to pay a Sh100m cash bail, the other option being a Sh150 million bond with a surety of the same amount.

The governor was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts today to face charges of corruption and abuse of office.

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission say they are looking for 13 other officials, among them his deputy, county secretary, chief finance officer, former chief officer in charge of environment and several other chief officers.

This is after the Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji ordered their prosecution in the ongoing probe into graft claims.

The 14 suspects are linked to Sh84.7m-fuel supply scandal in which Oryx Service Station, which police believe is owned, by Mr Kasaine and Mr Ndathi, was given a tender to supply the county government against the law.

In his orders, Justice Douglas Ogoti also barred 13 co-accused from accessing the money.

Governor Lenolkulal was picked up from his Nairobi home at dawn and driven to EACC offices for processing and arraignment to face abuse of office charges and those of conspiracy to commit an economic crime.

Haji said investigations had established the Governor was trading with the county government through Oryx Service Station for the supply of fuel since March 27, 2013.

He added the Governor failed and or neglected to disclose his interest in the said service station.