A suspect in a corruption case threw Ksh25,000 notes at Mathare residents on Wednesday, June 14, during a chase with police officers.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), in a statement on Thursday, June 15, explained that the man was nabbed during a bribery transaction on behalf of an assistant commissioner.
EACC in the statement explained that the assistant commissioner had confiscated building materials after the demolition of a home that was allegedly built illegally on a road reserve.
The owner of the home pleaded with the commissioner to release the materials including iron sheets and window frames, a request the commissioner was willing to grant after a bribe payment of Ksh50,000.
The frustrated Roysambu resident then alerted EACC of the matter and plans for an operation were immediately put in place.
“The complainant pleaded for mercy in a meeting at the assistant commissioner's office on June 13, 2023, to have the Ksh50,000 demand reduced.
"The assistant commissioner agreed to reduce the amount to Ksh25,000 if the complainant paid it promptly and in full,” EACC stated.
Additionally, EACC noted that the assistant commissioner asked the resident to give the money to her agent instead of taking it to her directly.
The agent arranged for a meeting with the resident in Mathare on Wednesday, June 14, where the transaction was to take place. EACC officers were on standby waiting to pounce on the agent.
After the transaction, however, the agent was alarmed and ran away engaging the EACC officers in a chase in the neighbourhood.
As he was running, EACC noted that he threw the money at the residents causing commotion as those who stood by scrambled for the Ksh1,000 notes.
"As soon as EACC pounced on the agent who had already received the Ksh25,000, he took off disappearing into the slum with EACC sleuths in hot pursuit.
“Detectives outran the suspect and managed to arrest him but during the scuffle, the suspect threw away the money to the members of the public in Mathare who were watching the unfolding events,” added the statement.
Both the agent and the assistant commissioner were arrested but the commissioner was later released on bail.
