Three Bungoma County employees wanted by the Ethics and the Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) for involvement in the unlawful awarding of a Ksh5.7 million tender have gone missing.
EACC on Monday, April 24, arrested four employees who were accomplices of the scheme to aid in the investigations of the fraud.
According to the commission, the seven, including four who were arrested and three who are still missing, were awarded a contract for the periodic maintenance of Chebosi-Wanelopi-Kituni Road in Bungoma County.
The contract was awarded in the 2018-2019 Financial Year by the County Government of Bungoma to a company associated with a high-ranking politician from the county.
Further, the commission noted that the company used false documents to win the tender despite lacking the financial capacity to carry out the specified work.
“An audit of the company's accounts revealed it lacked the financial capacity to carry out the work specified in the tender in question,” EACC noted.
When the company realised that it was under investigation, its management backed out of the contracts and some of the employees went into hiding.
Three of the officials were taken to the EACC's Bungoma Regional Office for processing before they were taken into custody at the Bungoma Police Station awaiting their arraignment.
The fourth suspect was arrested while in Mombasa and was set to be escorted to Bungoma to answer to the charges.
"The suspects arrested are currently being held at the EACC Bungoma Regional Office where they will be processed before being transferred to the Bungoma Police Station where they will be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Bungoma on Tuesday," the commission stated.
Additionally, the commission called on the other suspects who were still at large to present themselves to the authorities.
EACC added that all the seven suspects will be presented with two charges including the willful failure to comply with the law and regulations relating to procurement as well as engaging in the fraudulent practice.
