Governor Speaks After Police Damage His Office While Effecting Arrest
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o on Wednesday, October 30, issued a statement barely 24 hours after unfortunate scenes were witnessed at the Kisumu High Court and outside his office.
On Tuesday, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member for Finance George Okong’o was reprieved after escaping imprisonment when Justice Shariff Mwanaisha decided to hand him a suspended sentence with a fine of Ksh200,000 for contempt of court.
The fine was in connection to a contempt of court case related to Ksh16 million in unpaid dues owed to Majock Construction Firm
Since the county has settled Ksh8 million, Justice Mwanaisha suspended Okong’o’s sentence until December 19, 2024, to allow the contractor time to pay the remaining bill.
However, there was a dramatic standoff outside the court as Okong’o got into a scuffle with officers who were on standby waiting to rearrest him.
The unfortunate scenes saw Okong’o’s security detail confront officers resulting in a push and pull that trickled towards City Hall near Governor Nyong’o’s offices.
The Kisumu governor has since issued an apology to Okode and Okong’o on behalf of the County Government.
“I would like to apologise to the family of Acting Chief Officer Finance Martin Okode for his incarceration over the matter. No government officer should suffer such indignity and punishment in the performance of his official duties,” Nyong’o stated.
“The court fine was immediately paid, paving the way for the two officers to enjoy their freedom and liberties. In the matter in question, the decree-holder is a construction company that was awarded a contract by the county government more than 11 years ago to put up a market. The said market was demolished in May 2017, even before the current administration came into office.”
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