Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested an employee of a local auction company for demanding a bribe of Ksh2 million from a private company to waive Ksh19.5 million in tax arrears.
In a statement, EACC noted the suspect had been on the run for ten months before detectives traced him at a garage in Utawala, Nairobi and booked him at Kilimani Police Station.
According to the EACC, the suspect was initially arrested in December 2022 after months of investigations into his activities.
While appearing before Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Kagure Nyutu, the suspect denied that on November 26, 2020, he demanded a bribe from a private company in order to write off tax arrears of Ksh19.5 million.
The court at the time, released him on a cash bail of Ksh500,000 or bond of Ksh1 million, pending investigations by the commission.
EACC, however, raised concerns after the suspect failed to appear for court hearings, leading to a warrant of arrest issued against him.
Under the Bribery Act 2016, a person who is found guilty of any bribery-related offenses risks paying a fine not exceeding Ksh5 million or a ten-year jail term or both.
In cases where the person received a large benefit and any other person suffered a huge loss, the court can impose an additional mandatory fine which can include five times the amount of the benefit or loss.
Other penalties may include confiscation of property, barred from holding public office, and requirement to pay the benefit received to the government among others.
The latest survey by EACC showed that the national average bribe increased to Ksh5,889 in 2022 from Ksh3,833 in 2021.
The survey listed government ministries as places where Kenyans are most likely to encounter corruption with Interior Ministry revealed as the most corrupt with 42.4 per cent.
Health Ministry, Lands, Education and Defence followed with 19.7 per cent, 11.7 per cent, 8.3 per cent and 7.6 per cent respectively.
In terms of government departments and agencies, police was ranked first with 82.1 per cent, followed by Registration of Persons (25.2 per cent), Immigration Department (17.3 per cent) and Directorate of Land (8.5 per cent).
In order to fight corruption, EACC has since partnered with the media to uncover bribery and abuse of power in offices as well as keep the public informed about the extent and impact of corruption in Kenya.
