The news of the arrest of Arie Dempers, Deputy President William Ruto’s South African farm manager broke airwaves last week over illegal water connection at the Kisima Farm that ignited public outcry.
He was also accused of storming into a mosque in Taita Taveta with a gun in hand over what he termed as too much noise.
Having been nabbed by detectives after investigations and linked to the illegal pipes found at the farm, he was to be arraigned and charged.
However, recent developments as established by the Standard indicate that Dempers was not charged as the police authorities have stated that there was no sufficient evidence.
For instance, reports state that the evidence collected does not link him to the illegal connection of water at the Kisima farm.
This was echoed by Taita Taveta Deputy Police Commander, Lawrence Marwa who called upon the government to avail sufficient evidence to prove the claims.
“We have no evidence to charge Dempers over an illegal connection of water on the farm. In fact, the management of the farm has its own water connections contrary to claims from certain quarters,” Marwa is quoted by the publication.
He also added, “If the county government has new evidence against the official, let them bring it to us. For now, we have no evidence to charge the official and the administration should stop shifting blame.”
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According to the Deputy Police Commander, the water connection at the DP’s farm had been connected way before Dempers took over as farm manager.
Ideally, he reiterated that the farm management was not responsible for the connection of the water pipes rather, they were clients of the County Government hence took no part in it.
“In fact, the management is one of the county government’s clients,” said Marwa.
Dempers was nabbed on January 31, 2020, following public outcry where a section Taita Taveta residents had filed complaints indicating that the 1,000-acre farm belonging to the DP had diverted water supply to cater for his livestock and other activities leaving residents with no water supply.
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Through a court order, the Taveta Principal Magistrate Benson Khapoya had given the police access to the farm to inspect and assess the details of the complaints.
“That the orders to gain access to Kisima Farm immutably and also to disconnect and uproot/ remove any illegal connection at the said farm/property are hereby granted,” read the court papers.
Upon entry into the farm, the County Police Commander David Kiprotich accounted that an illegal water pipe was found to have been connected.
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