The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a Principal Prosecution Counsel in charge of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in Kilgoris as the crackdown on rogue senior public officers continues.
The officer was apprehended on allegations of soliciting a bribe, as the EACC revealed that the senior officer had demanded a KSh 50,000 bribe from a businessman in exchange for expediting a court case.
After negotiations, the amount was reduced to KSh 40,000, but instead of complying with the request, the complainant reported the matter to the anti-corruption agency.
The EACC launched an operation after the complaint was filed, eventually leading to the officer's arrest on Sunday, February 16.
This was the latest senior law enforcement officer apprehended by the EACC in less than two weeks, with his arrest coming after Likoni District Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO) Charles Onyango Ka’galo was arrested over alleged corruption.
The officer appeared before the Mombasa Anti-Corruption Court, where he was found to be in violation of Section 6(1), read together with Section 18(1)(2), of the Bribery Act of 2016.
Part of the Act states: "A person commits the offence of receiving a bribe if the recipient of the bribe requests, agrees to receive, or accepts a financial or other advantage, and the request, agreement, or acceptance itself constitutes the improper performance by the recipient of a relevant function or activity."
His charge sheet indicated that Ka’galo accepted a bribe of KSh 20,000 from a member of the public at a bar in Mombasa.
According to a recent report, the National Police Service (NPS) and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) were among the most corrupt institutions in Kenya.
The EACC observed that it had received over 5,000 complaints from members of the public regarding rampant corruption within these institutions. More than 534 cases are under investigation.
Additionally, over 126 files, whose investigations have been completed, will be formally handed over to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for further action.
Cumulatively, the Commission is currently pursuing over 400 cases for the forfeiture of corruptly acquired assets valued at approximately KSh 49.5 billion.
