Ex-governor Lonyangapou, 7 others acquitted in procurement case

Eldoret Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo noted that the County Government of West Pokot by then purchased the 5,000 bags of maize for the vulnerable procedurally.

Odenyo ruled that as per the evidence produced in court, there were no money lost nor any law breached during the exercise.

Prof. Lonyangapou together with former county secretary Mike Parklea, Solomon Mereng, Alice Chepkosgei, Joseph Lolamtumtum, Elvis Mwanga, Titus Mayech and the trader Margaret Tuitoek had been accused of bypassing procurement laws in purchase of maize worth Ksh.18 million eight years ago.

Earlier during the cross examination, Lonyangapuo told the court that he had used direct method to source for the white maize due to the prevailing circumstance at the time.

The court further heard that the governor convened a Cabinet meeting which approved the purchase of maize from the neighbouring Trans Nzoia County through direct methods to save the starving families in West Pokot.

He said that he could not sit and watch as the people who put him in power die due to hunger just because he followed the long procurement process to source for relief food for them.