West Pokot County Assembly Speaker Fredrick Kaptui and Kodich Ward MCA Paul Lokitari have questioned their prosecution over the alleged loss of Sh260 million from Eco-Pillar Sacco, insisting they had left the society years before the money was reportedly lost.

The two are among nine people facing charges arising from the alleged loss of funds at the Sacco, including failure to prevent theft and abuse of office.

Their lawyer, Echesa Kennedy Lubengu, has challenged the charges, arguing that his clients ceased being members of the Sacco in 2018, while the alleged loss occurred between 2023 and 2025.

Speaking to journalists outside Kapenguria Law Courts, Echesa questioned how the two could have prevented the alleged theft when they were no longer involved in the society’s affairs.

“If they left the Sacco in 2018, how could they have prevented the alleged theft of money between 2023 and 2025?” he posed.

The lawyer further argued that the prosecution had not demonstrated how the Speaker and the MCA allegedly abused their offices or contributed to the loss of the funds. He also questioned the failure to establish the specific amounts each accused person is alleged to have been responsible for losing.

Echesa maintained that his clients were not accused of directly stealing the money but of failing to prevent its alleged theft. He said the defence was prepared to challenge the prosecution’s evidence once the trial begins.

On concerns about possible interference with witnesses, the lawyer questioned how the accused could interfere with witnesses whose identities had not yet been disclosed. He also noted that the prosecution had not opposed their release on bond.

The defence is expected to receive witness statements and other documentary evidence at the next court appearance scheduled for November 16. Echesa said the legal team would examine the documents before the hearing begins.

He further revealed that his clients had no intention of visiting the Sacco premises and had communicated their position to the court. The lawyer also described the case as politically motivated, accusing the complainants of pursuing political interests, allegations that are yet to be tested in court.

Meanwhile, Speaker Kaptui maintained that he and the MCA had followed the required procedures when leaving the Sacco and had been formally cleared.

“We left the Sacco a long time ago. We followed the required procedures and were duly cleared when we exited the society,” Kaptui said.

The Speaker declined to discuss the case in detail, saying it was already before the court. However, he suggested that the prevailing political environment in West Pokot County had contributed to the controversy, accusing some social media users of spreading misleading narratives about the accusations.

Kaptui expressed confidence that justice would prevail, pledging to respect the court process and comply with all conditions attached to their release on bond.

The case is scheduled for mention on November 16, when the prosecution is expected to provide the defence with witness statements and documentary evidence ahead of the trial.

The accused persons have denied the allegations and remain innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.