Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers on Tuesday arrested the Chairperson of the Consortium of Civil Societies over allegations of extorting Ksh3 million from the Chief Executive Officer of an unnamed state corporation.
According to the integrity watchdog, the suspect was arrested by EACC detectives at a Nairobi hotel where he was expected to receive the bribe.
EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi noted that the suspect insisted on receiving a bribe in order not to report alleged procurement malpractices at the unidentified state corporation.
“The amount was an inducement and facilitation fee so as not to pursue and publicize accusations of procurement malpractices he claimed to have against the parastatal CEO,” he noted.
It was reported that the complainant initially proposed an arrangement to have the bribe amount lowered. The suspect is said to have agreed to lower the bribe amount to Ksh2 million, which was reportedly supposed to be paid in two instalments.
According to the initial agreement, the first instalment of the bribe amount totalling to Ksh1.5 million was supposed to be channelled on Tuesday and Ksh500,000 was to be sent later at an unspecified date.
The chief executive officer whose identity was not immediately revealed, reported the matter to the commission which led to the eventual arrest just as the suspect was about to receive the bribe.
“The commission undertook an operation this morning leading to the arrest of the suspect after receiving the first instalment of Ksh1.5 million which was in USD10,800 and Ksh100,000,” EACC stated.
Upon the arrest, the suspect was taken to the EACC Integrity Centre Police Station where he was detained waiting to be arraigned in court.
The EACC has stepped up its efforts to rein in on the corruption menace, especially in public parastatals.
In April this year, the Commission arrested two Nairobi County officials for allegedly soliciting bribes in excess of Ksh 300,000 to facilitate the complainant to put up a container on a road reserve.
The Commission upon being notified by the complainant, intercepted and arrested the two officials as they were about to receive the bribe.
