The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Wednesday June 12, 2024 apprehended 11 Vihiga County government officials over the embezzlement of Ksh17 million.
In a press statement, EACC noted that the 11 county officials were arrested over alleged embezzlement of Ksh17 million, funds that were allocated for the construction of a Blood Transfusion Centre.
According to EACC, the 11 individuals include Dr. Arnold Kimiyia Mamadi, the Chief Officer for Medical Services, and Godfrey Oyaro, the Director of Procurement.
All the 11 suspects are scheduled to appear before the Kakamega Anti-Corruption Court on Thursday June 13, 2024.
Among them is Eugene Wandera Wamalwa, who serves as the Principal Quantity Surveyor, being the 12th suspect in a case and is currently evading authorities. He has been directed to present himself at the EACC Regional Office in Kisumu.
Meanwhile, EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi confirmed the arrest of suspects accused of embezzling Ksh17 million.
The funds were fraudulently obtained through payments for non-existent construction work on a Blood Transfusion Centre in Vihiga, intended to aid patients needing blood transfusions.
The suspects, who spent the night at Kisumu Port Police Station, were escorted from Kisumu to Kakamega Law Courts on Thursday morning for taking plea.
Meanwhile in Garissa County, EACC has initiated an investigation into the disappearance of Ksh.1.2 billion.
The inquiry targets eight high-ranking county officials who are accused of diverting the public funds for personal gain.
This was after the commission did a search in the houses and offices of the eight suspected officials.
Ngumbi reported that governors and Chief Officers have been accused of engaging in illegal trade and violating procurement laws by giving tenders to their relatives and political allies.
He mentioned that EACC is actively investigating ten current and former Governors for these alleged offenses.
The investigation into Garissa County officials, their proxies, and affiliated companies was initiated by a court order permitting the commission to probe allegations of their involvement in county government contracts.
Concurrently, the EACC expressed worries to the Senate about amendments made to the Conflict of Interest Bill, arguing that these changes weaken anti-corruption efforts by removing crucial constitutional provisions that empower the commission to enforce the law effectively.
