BY SAM ALFAN.
A Nairobi court has extended orders barring Samburu Governor Moses Kasaine Lonelkulal and 10 other county officials from accessing their offices in Maralal.
Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi extended the order until next week. “I have extended orders until April 25 when the matter will be placed before trial magistrate”, Mugambi ruled.
Director of Public Prosecution through senior prosecutor Alexander Muteti filed an application to bar the Governor Lonelkulal, Stephen Siringa Letinina, Daniel Nakuo Lenolkirina, Josephine Naamo Lenasalia, Reuben Marumben and Paul Lolmingani from accessing the county offices.
Others barred are Benard Ltarasi Lesurmant , Lilian Balanga , Geoffrey Barun Kitewan and Hesbon Jack Wachira Ndathi. All the officials are facing corruption charges and the prosecution wants them not to access offices for at least 24 months.
The prosecution also applied an order be issued directing the director of the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS) to bar each of the accused from accessing IFMIS platform.
” Orders be issued directing the Central Bank of Kenya Governor to bar each of the accused from accessing any of the bank accounts of the Samburu County”, added Muteti.
In the application, the prosecution alleged that the suspects are likely to interfere with witnesses or the trial.
Mr Muteti told the court that county government offices and individual offices are collectively scene of crime and need to be protected from each of the accused.
“The said offices house a number of accountable documents that shall be relied on by the prosecution witnesses and thus the need to bar each of the accused from accessing the same so as to protect the same from interference”, said Muteti.
Prosecutor Muteti said the Governor and senior county officials of the county government are bosses to a number of prosecution witnesses and therefore they have a lot of power and influence and are likely to interfere with the said prosecution witnesses if they should not be barred.
In the supporting affidavit by county DPP director Wesley Nyamache he said there was real likelihood of interference with the scene of crime or the prosecution witnesses.
