Three senior Kitui county officers were detained at the Kitui GK Prison at the weekend after they failed to secure their release.
Land and Infrastructure chief officer Jeremiah Kisilu, senior procurement officer Rodgers Sande and former acting county Treasury chief officer June Munyao were charged on Friday with procurement malpractices involving Sh891 million.
They pleaded not guilty. Their lawyer, Morris Kimuli, requested chief magistrate Stephen Mbungi to release them so they could return on January 22 for a pre-trial mention. Kisilu was granted Sh5 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or alternative Sh1.5 million bail to secure his releases. Sande and June were granted Sh2 million bond with a surety of a similar amount or alternative Sh1 million bail each.
The three could not, however, raise the bond or bail. They were detained until Monday when their bond is to be processed. They were barred from accessing their offices after a request by prosecutor Martin Mutegi. Kimuli had opposed the request.
Other accused persons Shadrack Munyithya, a former Lands and Infrastructure chief officer, and county principal procurement officer Joshua Munyaka are to be included in the case when it comes up for mention on Wednesday.
On Friday, prosecutor Mutegi said Munyithya, who was the first accused, and Munyaka, the second accused, had not been arrested. He urged the magistrate to order them to present themselves to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Nairobi.
Mbungi thus ordered that Munyithya and Munyaka present themselves to the EACC for processing before appearing in court on Wednesday to take a plea.
