Baringo County Chief Health Officer Gideon Toromo was on Thursday arraigned in court for allegedly issuing a death threat and assault.
Toromo was arrested yesterday evening and detained at Kabarnet Police Station.
He appeared before Kabarnet Resident Magistrate Vienna Amboko and was charged with threatening to kill and assaulting a colleague.
The court heard that Toromo on November 25, 2020, at the County Governor’s office in Kabarnet, without lawful excuse, uttered words “Ayabei leo nitakumaliza” directed to one Francis Kibenei Ayabei who works at the Baringo county government payroll section.
Toromo, according to the police, stormed the county human resource offices and caused a stir when he drew his sword after one of the workers allegedly insulted him.
He later explained that he was looking for a member of staff who had refused to pay a Sh100,000 old debt.
Toromo denied the charges and through his lawyer, Solomon Chepkilot, asked the court to grant him a reasonable bond.
The defence counsel told the court that the officer was under medication for a disease he did not disclose and retaining him in police custody would also expose him to the risk of contracting COVID-19.
The accused was freed on a bond of Sh70,000 with a surety of the same amount.
The case will be mentioned on January 19, 2021.
