Four employees at the National Treasury Pensions Department have found themselves in trouble with the law after being implicated in a bribery syndicate targeting members of the public.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) confirmed the arrests on Thursday, July 17, following a two-month undercover operation by the commission.
According to the EACC, the operation was triggered by numerous complaints from members of the public, who reported facing frustration from the Pensions Department whenever they sought services.
Preliminary investigations uncovered a well-coordinated criminal network within the department, where officers are alleged to have engaged in extorting bribes from the public in exchange for faster services.
Among the suspects under investigation are two senior pension officers, a chief clerical officer, and an intern.
The EACC further revealed that members of the public were reportedly required to pay money through a mobile money paybill account in exchange for the expedited processing of their requests.
Investigations revealed that a total of Ksh10.5 million had been transacted through the paybill, which was registered under the name of the intern’s mother.
"In the last two years, a total of Kes10,523,044 has been transacted through the paybill account, with the above suspects receiving various amounts. Further investigation reveals that the said paybill account is registered in the name of Mr Muhando's mother," the EACC revealed in its report.
The four suspects have since been processed at the Integrity Centre Police Station and are expected to be transferred to Kilimani Police Station pending further investigations.
This is the latest case of the EACC cracking down on malpractice within a government institution, with the new tactic involving sting operations seemingly paying dividends. In April, two officials from the Kakamega Civil Registration Department were arrested for allegedly soliciting and receiving bribes from applicants seeking civil registration documents.
Like the National Treasury suspects, the duo, a Civil Registrar stationed at the Kakamega Huduma Centre and a Civil Registration Officer, are alleged to have solicited bribes to speed up service delivery.
A separate incident in March saw EACC officials catch a government official working with the Lands Control Board red-handed, receiving a Ksh70,000 bribe.
