- Ex-Governor Wangamati faces 27 graft-related charges at Milimani Court.
- Accused of benefiting from county tenders via family-linked companies.
- Ten relatives and associates were also charged, alongside eight companies.
- Alleged fraudulent deals involve over Ksh. 26 million.
- The court freed him on Ksh.5m bond or Ksh.1.5m cash bail.
Former Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati has been charged with 27 corruption-related offences tied to fraudulent procurement schemes worth more than KSh. 26 million.
He appeared before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court alongside ten individuals, many of them close relatives, and eight companies, alleged to have been used in the transactions.
Prosecutors allege that between May 2020 and June 2021, Wangamati used firms linked to his family to irregularly receive county payments.
Ksh. 10.5m via Nabwana Construction Ltd from payments to Valeria Construction Ltd (road maintenance tenders).
Ksh.. 9.35m through Kelco Builders Ltd for works on Matisi–Omindo and Misikhu Ward roads.
Ksh. 6.5m via Nabwana Construction Ltd from payments to Fastec Suppliers Ltd for the Kiamama Water Supply Bridge.
The DPP also accuses the group of submitting forged documents from agencies such as the Kenya Wildlife Service, KeRRA, KENHA, and Credit Bank to secure tenders.
Those charged with him include his brothers Simuyu and Barasa Wangamati, cousins Bramwel Wafula and Juma Swaleh, nephews Edward Makhanu and Wakoli Wafula, and niece Sandra Soita.
Others in the dock are Jimmy Wesesa, Christopher Masika, and Joseph Wanyonyi.
The companies facing graft charges are: Nabwana Construction Ltd, Mundesi Contractors Ltd, Valeria Construction Ltd, Kelco Builders Ltd, Nabweso Builders Ltd, Fastec Suppliers Ltd, Civil Contractors Ltd, Nasikhab Civil Contractors Ltd, Skyman Freighters Ltd
All the accused denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Ziporah Gichana.
Wangamati was released on a KSh.. 5 million bond or KSh.. 1.5 million cash bail. His co-accused secured freedom on bonds ranging from Ksh. 1 million to Ksh. 10 million, with alternative cash bail options.
