Bomet Governor Barchok, Ex-Bungoma governor held over graft allegations

The arrests followed a nine-hour operation led by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which began at Integrity Centre and concluded at the Kilimani Police Station.

Mr. Wangamati was the first to appear at the EACC headquarters, accompanied by ten directors of various companies—among them his relatives, Michael Simiyu Wangamati and Edward Barasa Wangamati. The group is accused of involvement in fraudulent procurement procedures and the alleged embezzlement of public funds. After more than seven hours of questioning, the former county chief and his co-accused were transferred to Kilimani Police Station under tight security.

Speaking briefly before being booked into custody, Wangamati dismissed the case as political.

“Hii ni siasa za 2027… hakuna kitu kingine,” he told reporters.

His lawyer, Peter Wanyama, also claimed that the investigators lacked evidence to support the charges.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Governor Barchok sought to secure an anticipatory order at the Milimani High Court to prevent his arrest and prosecution. The attempt was unsuccessful, after which he presented himself to EACC detectives at Integrity Centre. He was later processed and transferred to Kilimani Police Station where he joined his co-accused.