Former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has been released on a Sh5 million bond with an option of a Sh1.5 million cash bail following his arrest on allegations of involvement in corruption.

He was arraigned on Tuesday, September 2, and denied corruption charges brought against him by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) following an investigation of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) into his tenure.

Wangamati was presented before the Milimani Law Courts to take a plea on 27 charges, including alleged conflict of interest and acquisition of proceeds of crime.

He pleaded “not guilty” to all counts, setting the trial in motion.

Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Zipporah Gichana has set the graft case for a mention on September 18.

According to the charge sheet, the governor disregarded the law. He went ahead to engage in fraudulent procurement activities, such as falsifying documents on various dates, to influence the award of tenders.

The funds in question were mainly meant for road works, with money channeled to construction firms including Valeria Construction Limited, Mundesi Contractors Limited, KELCO Builders Limited, Nabweso Builders Limited, Fastec Suppliers Limited, Nasikhab Civil Contractors Limited, and Nabwala Construction Limited, who have been dragged into the courtroom alongside their directors.

EACC is also accusing the companies of transacting millions of shillings from Bungoma County government despite knowledge that they were proceeds of crime.

The former county boss appeared alongside his co-accused persons suspected of involvement in an organised scheme to defraud the county government.

Wangamati’s siblings Edward Wangamati, George Wangamati, and Emmanuel Wangamati, are among eight family members who risk serving jail terms in the event of a conviction.

Others are his nieces and nephews.

Also linked to the graft are Alex Odanga, Edward Maaya, Jumah Swaleh, Wafula Wakoli, Wisdom Baraka, Rita Mwaka, Sandra Soita, Christopher Makhokha, Jimmy Wekesa, Silvan Wanyonyi, and David Wanyama. 

Yesterday, Governor Wangamati presented himself at the EACC headquarters to honour a summon before he was taken into custody at Kilimani Police Station where he spent the night.

The governor’s lawyers have termed his woes as political persecution for alleging a plot to eliminate him from county politics ahead of the next election.