Former Isiolo South MP Abdi Tepo and his wife Halima Gura Roka, a Quality Assurance Officer at the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), have been arrested.

The couple was arrested on Thursday, July 25 afternoon after the former MP reportedly opened fire at EACC detectives who had gone to his residence for a search operation targeting his wife, a prime suspect in the multi-million NHIF graft scandal under investigation by the Commission.

“During the operation, detectives recovered two briefcases full of US dollars, estimated to be in millions, and assorted chemicals (in powder and liquid form) suspected to be used for making fake notes,” the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) says.

According to the anti-graft body, samples of the notes tested at the EACC Integrated Financial Forensic Lab were fake.

“This evening, OCS EACC Police Station handed over the former MP, his wife, and various recovered items, including the fake notes, Ceska Pistol with an expired firearm permit, and assorted chemicals, to the DCI under whose jurisdiction the matter lies,” the commission adds.

In Thursday’s operation, EACC targeted seven prime suspects in the NHIF scam, including the MP’s wife, a former NHIF Quality Assurance Officer, the Eastleigh NHIF Branch Manager, and 5 Directors of Beirut Pharmacy which is accused of fraudulently obtaining KSh199 million from NHIF through fictitious claims facilitated by the NHIF officials.

The Beirut Pharmacy matter is among several NHIF cases under investigation to inform prosecution of any culpable persons and recovery of lost public funds.