Nyamira official spends night in cell over ex-staff's Sh1.6m

An undated photo of Nyamira County Secretary Erick Onchana, who was arrested on November 27, 2018 over the on-payment of a dismissed employee's compensation. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Onchana, the head of public service and secretary of the county public service board, was arrested on Tuesday evening.
  • Former county employee Alloys Moseti is to be paid Sh1.6 million for unfair dismissal in 2014.

Nyamira County Secretary Erick Onchana spent Tuesday night in police cells following his arrest for disobeying a court order to pay a former employee Sh1.6 million as compensation for unfair dismissal.

Mr Onchana, the head of public service and secretary of the county public service board, was arrested on Tuesday evening.

DODGING

The secretary was apprehended by police officers from Nyamira and Kericho counties following the issuing of a warrant last Friday.

The case concerns the payment of that amount to former county employee Alloys Moseti over his dismissal in 2014. Mr Moseti had been serving as a political adviser in the governor’s office.

"A warrant for the arrest was issued but the county official had been dodging us," a police source said.

Mr Moseti filed the suit at a Kericho court, protesting what he said was an unprocedural dismissal.

The court directed Mr Onchana to facilitate the payment on behalf of Nyamira.

The directive was, however, disobeyed, so the court ordered Mr Onchana's arrest.

On Wednesday morning, senior Nyamira officers travelled to Kericho where the secretary will be arraigned.

"We are trying to solve this issue amicably, " said Kefa Miller, the director of the governor's press service.