On Saturday, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) responded to Vihiga County Officials’ concerns regarding a raid and subsequent arrest of two staffers in relation to embezzlement allegations.
EACC clarified that the court date was yet to be set because the commission was still in the process of investigating the graft case.
“The Commission urges them to be patient as it prepares for the court date they are seeking. In our approach to investigations, a search or arrest is not an end to the probe.
“For Vihiga, Thursday’s search was part of an ongoing probe and when everything is complete, there will be no need for them to hold another presser to invite the Commission. The law will take its course”, the commission said.
According to EACC, the allegations facing the county officials are serious hence the need to investigate them further before arraigning the suspects in court.
The Vihiga County Assembly officials held a press briefing where they raised concerns, claiming that the County Assembly had not received any charge sheets or arraignment orders for any of the county officers.
The county officials questioned the intentions of EACC’s, investigative raid of Vihiga County Assembly offices and two officials’ residencies on Thursday. The two senior county officials were also arrested during the raid.
In their press briefing, the officials also questioned the due process that was followed by EACC before conducting the raid noting that the DCI in the county were not involved.
The charges faced by the officials include the embezzlement of Ksh200 million worth of mortgage and car loan funds by senior officials including the County Assembly Speaker, Members of the Count Assembly (MCAs) and staff.
Further, the county officials are also alleged to have a conflict of interest in which senior Assembly officials (including the Speaker) are alleged to be the leading suppliers of goods and services to the County Assembly
EACC further noted that there were irregular payments for goods and services not delivered to the county assembly.
It is also alleged that the officials embezzled over Ksh. 100 million in imprest fraud for ‘ghost’ trips and activities which did not take place.
