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Woman accuses deputy governor of harassment over land deal gone sour

By GERALD BWISA December 12th, 2017 2 min read

A woman in Trans Nzoai has recorded a statement at Kitale Police Station alleging that she was harassed by West Pokot Deputy Governor Nicholas Atudonyang’ over a Sh7.4 million land deal.

Jane Wafula claims the accident occurred when she met the deputy governor on Monday morning at a hotel in Kitale town to discuss matters regarding the said piece of land.

She further claims Mr Atudonyang’ attempted to strangle her after a disagreement arose between them but she was rescued by the hotel manager.

Shocked members of the public watched as the woman was led to a waiting vehicle with an official West Pokot deputy governor’s registration plate.

At one point, the crowd was forced to scamper for safety when the deputy governor’s  bodyguard drew his pistol in a bid to disperse them as they entered the vehicle before taking off.

“I was taken upstairs to one of the rooms in the hotel so that the matter could cool down but a few minutes later his bodyguard, armed with a gun, grabbed me and took me outside the hotel,” the woman told the members of the press outside Kitale Police Station.

She said that the deputy governor asked her to take them to her father-in-law’s place in order to solve the matter from there despite her appeal that they should go to the police.

Jane Wafula sandwiched by deputy governor Nicholas Atudonyang’ (in striped polo t-shirt) and his body guard (in black suit) is led away into a waiting vehicle. PHOTO | GERALD BWISA
Jane Wafula sandwiched by deputy governor Nicholas Atudonyang’ (in striped polo t-shirt) and his body guard (in black suit) is led away into a waiting vehicle. PHOTO | GERALD BWISA

DENIED CLAIMS

“I’m scared for my life. I’m a public officer and I feel I was not treated well at all. This is harassment, even if he is the deputy governor he had no right to point a gun at me in public yet I am not a criminal,” she lamented.

However, Mr Atudonyang’ has denied the claims saying he was only protecting her from being attacked by the crowd which could have suspected she was a thief.

“I didn’t harass the woman in any way. I was only protecting her from the crowd. The woman and her husband fraudulently sold me a piece of land at a cost of about Sh7.4 million,” Mr Atudonyang’ said.

He said that he will not tire from his quest to ensure that fraudulent persons take advantage of residents of West Pokot over land matters.

“These are the same people who have been conning members of the public over land matters and I’m going to see to it that they are brought to justice,” he said.

Trans Nzoia Police Commander, Samson Ole Kine, said investigations have commenced on the matter but wondered why the deputy governor did not notify the police of his intentions.

“Drawing a gun in public caused panic among members of the public. It was unprofessional from his bodyguard. We have commenced investigations on the matter,” he said.