Temporary reprieve for Natembeya as court suspends trial over graft charges

A Nairobi High Court has suspended Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya’s trial over graft charges at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued the conservatory orders on Thursday, June 5, 2025, that will be in force until a petition filed before the High Court is heard and determined.
“Pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the petitioner’s notice of motion, a conservatory order be and is hereby issued staying the criminal proceedings in a Nairobi Milimani Magistrates Anti-Corruption Case Number E024 of 2025,” Justice Mwamuye ordered.
Further, he directed the petitioner to serve the application, petition, and the court order to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) immediately and file an affidavit of service in that regard by close of business on June 9, 2025.
He also ordered the EACC and the DCI to enter an appearance and file and serve their respective responses to both the application and the petition by close of business on June 27, 2025.
Through his lawyers, Governor Natembeya filed a petition at the High Court on May 20, 2025, seeking a conservatory order meant to restrain the EACC and the DCI from arresting and charging him in court over graft-related charges.
“Pending inter partes hearing of this application, this court do issue a conservatory order restraining the Respondents (EACC and DCI) from arresting, charging on May 20, 2025 or on any other date, and/or detaining the petitioner in relation to the award of the tender to three entities, namely, Parbat Siyan Construction Limited for the Rehabilitation and Modernisation of Kenyatta Stadium (Phase 1A), C.M. Construction Company Limited for Construction of the Trans Nzoia County Headquarters Offices and Session Blue Contractors Limited for the Construction of Tom Mboya Hospital,” part of the petition read.
The petition
According to the petition, the EACC officers arrested Natembeya on May 19, 2025, without prior notice and detained him at the Integrity Centre so as to charge him the following day.

Furthermore, it asserts that the officers conducted a thorough search of his residential home in Kitale and his Trans Nzoia County offices without a court order.
The petition also stated that the purported investigations were centered on procurement matters related to the award of tenders through a competitive process to three entities, over which he had no control; thus, the intended prosecution was violating his rights.
“As of fact and law, the petitioner is not an accounting officer and therefore not in control of procurement and public finance matters at the county, and thus the intended prosecution is in violation of Article 157 of the Constitution of Kenya,” part of the petition read.
Governor Natembeya was arraigned in court on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, where he pleaded not guilty to graft charges.
The Milimani Anti-Corruption Court released the county boss on a bond of Ksh1 million, with one surety, and an alternative option of paying a cash bail of Ksh500,000, accompanied by two contact persons.
The Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate Charles Ondieki also barred him from entering his office for 60 days and ordered him to refrain from interfering with witnesses.
The matter will be mentioned on June 30, 2025, to confirm compliance and for further directions on the expedited hearing and determination of the petition.