A 50-year-old man was on Thursday arraigned in a court in Nakuru, to face charges of illegally operating water pumping and supply venture from his riverside farm in Moronyo village, Bahati sub-county.
The court, under the precision of Chief Resident Magistrate James Mwaniki heard that Johnstone Maina, a farmer in Moronyo area of Bahati Sub-county was arrested by police officers from Nakuru Central Police Station, who were accompanied by officials from the Nakuru County Water Supply Department and Public Health Department officials on February 17 this year, after he was found pumping water from a stream that runs through his farm.
The prosecution added that the accused had been using the pumped water to irrigate crops on his farm and for domestic use by members of his family and those who have rented houses at a rental houses estate he owns within the area.
The court was told that activity was not only illegal, as he lacked a license from the government to pump and use water commercially from a natural resource, but also a public health hazard since the water was not treated hence unfit for human consumption.
The accused however denied the charges urging that the water project was not for commercial activity, but for use in his farm that borders a natural water resource.
He further argued that neigbours and tenants at his rental units used the water at their own will.
He was released on a cash bond of Sh70,000 until the hearing of the case on March 10.