Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat embroiled in ICC fixing saga

Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat embroiled in ICC fixing saga

Nandi County residents have accused Governor Cleophas Lagat of allegedly procuring two fake witnesses to implicate Senator Stephen Sang in the fixing of Deputy President William Ruto and radioman Joshua Arap Sang at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a press statement, the residents led by the Transparency Group Chairman Kiprotich Cherargei, said the emergence of the two witnesses accusing Senator Sang of fixing the DP and Sang was an attempt by Governor Lagat to divert attention from graft accusations against his administration.

“Three weeks ago, Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat, while at a public function at Koilot in Nandi Hills Constituency, admitted to knowing two ICC witnesses. He has, however, deliberately refused to record a statement either with the Director of Public Prosecutions or the ICC on those claims. The resurfacing of the purported ICC witnesses, one known as Philip Koech alias Kesebe seems to complete the Governor’s narrative on this issue,” they said.

They said the claims that Senator Sang is among the people who fixed DP Ruto at the Hague were not only false but a well choreographed script by the Governor and his henchmen to silence the Senator who has been vocal on misuse of funds by the county government.

“All these schemes and efforts are aimed at silencing and blackmailing Senator Sang to stop supporting accountability measures and efforts in Nandi County,” read part of the statement.

The residents also accused Governor Lagat of allegedly approaching former PNU operatives in the North Rift region requesting them to implicate Sang with promises of huge sums of money of up to half a million shillings and jobs.

“We note that Senator Sang was a consultant on civic education, capacity building on governance, devolution and peace building and that at no time did he engage on ICC issues,” they pointed out.

The residents sought to assure Senator Sang of their support in his push for accountability and urged him to soldier on.

“We as Nandi residents support the Senator and urge him to leave no stone unturned in his bid to stop massive plundering of resources by Governor Lagat and his administration.”

Philip Koech Kesebe, the witness, according to the residents, runs an opinion poll group known as Blue Ribbons Surveyors and that he is a cousin to a member of staff at the County Government of Nandi.

“It is in public domain that one Philip Koech is an associate of Governor Lagat and he has been receiving handouts to undermine and blackmail other elected leaders who differ with governor Lagat either politically or ideologically.”

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