Reprieve for governor Sang as court suspends case proceedings

Viola Kosome

A Kisumu court Friday suspended proceedings of a case against Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, in which he had been charged with malicious damage of property and incitement to violence.

Resident Magistrate Beryl Omollo ruled that the stay order from the High Court has pending requisition following an initial directive by the Eldoret High Court that the governor should not be subjected to arrest or plea taking over the alleged offences. 

Laywer Zephania Yego,  who represented Sang, requested for the matter to be mentioned in January next year, and  the State Counsel Victor Mule agreed.

Sang was arrested on June 10 by police,  who were investigating him over the destruction of Kibwari tea estate, which is said to be on grabbed land.

The governor had led residents to the estate linked to former minister Henry Kosgey, to forcibly clear the tea bushes. Police were forced to use teargas to disperse his supporters, who had accompanied him to the Nandi DCI headquarters to record statements. 

The governor was later transferred to Kisumu Central Police Station where he spent a night. On June 11, he was charged with malicious damage to property and incitement to violence and later released on a Sh1 million bond or a cash bail of Sh500,000.

Addressing the media Friday outside the court, Sang welcomed the court's decision.  He, however, warned land cartels against grabbing public land and maintained that he will not relent in protecting public property. 

"I am not the only governor engaged in getting back public property but why is it that I am the only one being charged? Kisumu recently demolished kiosks that were built on public land in preparation for the commissioning of the port," he said. 

He asked the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji and his team to move with speed and recover all the grabbed public land countrywide.