Bomet County Governor Hillary Barchok has been charged with seven criminal counts including conflict of interest, and money laundering, stemming from a suspect payment received from a road contract.

While charging the governor at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) said that investigations show that Barchok illegally received KES2 million between 14th November 2019 and 10th March 2021.

According to the DPP team led by Vincent Monda, the suspect payments were tied to contracts, which were earlier approved and awarded by the County Government of Bomet to Chemasus Construction Limited.

In particular, the governor is accused of benefitting from a tender for the route maintenance of Kimenderit–Kotoibek–Olbutyo Bridge Road and another undertaking for the hire of a grader.

The prosecution argued that Barchok received KES2 million in his Equity Bank account from Chemasus Construction Limited, a payment which was proceeds of crime, since investigations show that it was irregularly obtained through contracts awarded by the county to the company.

Using proceeds of crime

Barchok was further charged with four counts of using proceeds of crime since on different transactions, he allegedly transferred KES300,000, KES314,000, KES100,000, and KES750,000 from his Equity Bank account to another account between 15th March and 29th March 2021. 

These transactions, the DPP argued, were aimed at disguising the illicit origin of the monies paid to him by his co-accused, Evans Kipkoech Korir, the Director of Chemasus Construction Limited.

According to the DPP, on 10th March 2021, the three entered into an arrangement to transfer KES2 million from Chemasus Construction Ltd’s Equity Bank account to Barchok’s account in a deal that was tailored to conceal the source of the money.

Appearing before Principal Magistrate Ziporah Gichana, Governor Barchok, Mr. Korir, pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them.

Their case has been filed under provisions of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, which criminalizes the acquisition and use of illegally obtained funds, as well as conflict of interest under procurement laws.

Meanwhile, former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has been Wangamati has been freed on a KES1.5 cash bail or a KES5 million bond in a case where he has been charged with fradulently acquiring over KES271 million.

Wamangati was charged with his nine relatives, and a number of directors of construction companies which secured contracts at Bungoma County when he served as the governor.

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