By Robert Mutasi 
Former Eldoret City manager Tito Koiyet has told a court that he was assaulted and forcibly removed from his office by a group of men who allegedly told him he was no longer wanted by the Uasin Gishu County Government.
Koiyet was testifying before Eldoret Principal Magistrate Peter Ireri in a case involving Collins Kipkemboi and Mark Kipleting, who are accused of assaulting him and two employees of the Eldoret City Board.
The alleged incident occurred on February 18, 2025, at the Eldoret Municipality Social Hall. The two accused have denied the charges.
Koiyet told the court that he suffered injuries during the confrontation, while two employees were also allegedly assaulted. He said one of the employees sustained a broken arm while attempting to intervene.
He recalled that he was informed on the day that a group of people identifying themselves as hawkers was holding a meeting at a county hall near his office.
According to Koiyet, the gathering was addressed by a member of the City Board and a senior county enforcement officer before several people entered his office.
He said the group ordered him to leave, warning that he would be removed by force if he refused.
Koiyet told the court that he attempted to resist the order but was overpowered and dragged from his office.
“I tried to defend myself but they could not hear anything. They manhandled me and pulled me out of the office even as my staff tried to intervene,” he said.
He added that some members of his staff were attacked during the confrontation.
Koiyet said he contacted the area Officer Commanding Station after the situation became violent. He said the OCS arrived with police officers but instead advised him to leave the premises and go home.
According to his testimony, the police response raised concerns that the incident had been organised in advance.
“To my surprise, instead of dealing with attackers, the OCS told me to leave and go home to rest because I would be harmed,” Koiyet told the court.
He further alleged that senior officials in the county government had authorised a plan to remove him from office. The allegation has not been established in court.
Koiyet also claimed that some of the people involved in the incident were members of a criminal gang operating in Eldoret and alleged they had been paid to carry out the attack.
He told the court that the alleged payments were made through mobile money and that investigations could establish a financial trail connecting the individuals involved.
The former city manager also expressed concern about his safety, telling the court that some of the people he identified as having participated in the alleged assault were present during the proceedings.
“In fact, your honour, I do not feel safe once I step out of this court,” he said.
Kipkemboi and Kipleting face charges of causing actual bodily harm to Koiyet. They also face separate allegations of causing bodily harm to Julia Ego and Salina Koitie during the same incident.
The accused have denied all the charges. The hearing is scheduled to continue on October 26, 2026.