The newly elected governor of Turkana Jeremiah Lomorukai is set to be charged with forging academic papers.
EACC North Rift boss on Thursday, October 27 confirmed that Governor Lomorukai has been under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over his academic documents.
Moreover, the Turkana Governor moved to court earlier this month seeking anticipatory bail pending inter-partes hearing.
Likewise, in an affidavit supporting the motion dated October 11, under a certificate of urgency, the governor pleaded with the court to stop EACC detectives from arresting him pending the hearing of the case.
To that effect, Justice Erick Ogola on Wednesday 26 issued an order restraining EACC from arresting governor Lomorukai after depositing an anticipatory cash bail of Sh20,000.
Justice Ogola while issuing the order certified the application as urgent.
“The applicant is hereby admitted to anticipatory cash bail of Sh20,000 pending hearing of the case,” he noted.
Nonetheless, the court directed the parties to appear in court on October 27 for inter-partes hearing.
Turkana residents also protested plans by EACC and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to arrest and charge their governor over allegations of forgery of academic papers.
Also Read: EACC Asks Stakeholders to Tame Forgery of Academic Certificates
According to the residents who protested on Monday, the move by the government agencies is a political witch hunt.
“This is purely a political witch-hunt. I may not have supported him during elections, but he was duly elected by a majority and the will of the people has to be respected. Leave the Governor alone” a protesting resident said.
Nevertheless, while addressing governors at an induction workshop in Mombasa recently, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua assured the county heads that they will no longer be subjected to arbitrary arrests and harassment by institutions such as EACC.
