Four top Uasin Gishu county officials are facing the risk of being sentenced to jail over contempt of court charges.
The four, County Secretary Peter Lelei, Security advisor Paul Ruto, Licensing and Compliance Director Silas Letting and Chief Enforcement officer Anthony Alwany have been accused of ignoring court orders that halted county governments' eviction of hawkers from the Eldoret town Central Business District (CBD).
The matter was mentioned before the Eldoret Land and Environment Court judge Millicent Akinyi Odeny on Tuesday where both parties gave their final submissions.
While giving his submissions, Stanly Kagunza, the lawyer representing hawkers told the court that the four county officials blatantly refused to adhere to court orders.
A refraining order stopping the county government from evicting hawkers was issued on January 18, 2018.
Despite the order, the county went ahead to evict hawkers from the CBD, an exercise that caused an uproar and culminated into a section of hawkers filing a contempt of court case on Jan 25.
In her submissions, the lawyer representing the four, however, said the court order was not properly served and that there was no proof of service.
Lady Justice Odeny will be issuing a ruling over the matter on August 17, 2018.
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