Kiambu County Assembly Deputy Speaker John Njue Njiru was on June 13 arrested by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
In a statement shared on Tuesday, June 13, the commission stated that the deputy speaker, also the Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Hospital Ward in Thika, was arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe of Ksh130,000 from a private developer.
“The suspect is accused of demanding a bribe of Ksh130,000 and a free portion of prime land belonging to the complainant within Thika town,” read part of the EACC statement.
EACC's dispatch also pointed out that Njiru demanded the bribe in order to facilitate and have the complainant permitted to proceed with commercial activities on her land worth Ksh15 million within Thika Town.
Detectives held the suspect at EACC's Integrity Centre Police Station after recording a statement as officers launched investigations into the matter.
His arrest came at a time when EACC had intensified its fight against corruption.
The commission successfully conducted several arrests of suspects involved in cases of land grabbing, while also achieving significant milestones in the recovery of public property in months before Bishop David Oginde assumed office as chairperson.
For instance, on May 14, the commission recovered public land belonging to the Kadhi Court in Upper Hill, Nairobi County.
The recovery was a culmination of the commission's spirited efforts in court. EACC accused the suspected land grabbers of fraudulently acquiring public property.
In a separate incident, on February 20, 2023, the commission recovered a Ksh70 million mansion in Nyali, Mombasa County, from a former lands commissioner.
The former official was accused of using his position to acquire the mansion illegally.
After assuming office as the new EACC chairperson on May 9, Bishop David Oginde outlined a raft of measures to combat corruption. He expressed his intention to prioritise formulating strategies to prevent graft.
The clergyman also stressed the importance of forging partnerships with public and private sector institutions to achieve his goals.
According to Oginde, coordination would help the commission lay the groundwork towards aiding President William Ruto to secure his legacy.
