A senior Uasin Gishu county official has been arrested by Officers of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, North Rift Regional Office in Eldoret, over multiple allegations of extorting money from citizens seeking services in her docket.
Confirming the arrest from Mombasa, EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi said that the arrest was part of ongoing investigations into numerous complaints received from members of the public.
Ngumbi said the complaints indicated that the senior official has allegedly been demanding bribes ranging from Sh100,000 to Sh300,000 from each person seeking services on land matters required in the County Government.
“The suspect allegedly established a culture of demanding to see and authorize all service approvals under processing even where her office has no role, and requires a facilitation fee to be paid to her by each service seeker,” Ngumbi said.
At the time of the arrest, the suspect had allegedly demanded Sh120,000 from a service seeker in order to append a signature on a land lease document.
She was apprehended after receiving a deposit of Sh50,000, part of the demanded amount.
During the arrests, two security agents were arrested for allegedly obstructing her arrest.
EACC detectives however neutralized the two and consequently took them to custody for the offence of obstruction of EACC officers on lawful duty contrary to the law.
The three suspects were locked up at Eldoret Central Police Station before being taken to EACC North Rift Regional Offices where they were held for processing and statement recording.
“This incident is part of wider investigations into public complaints of extortion in the provision of land services in Uasin Gishu County by both National and County Government Officials,” Ngumbi said.
The senior official was released Friday on a Sh100,000 police bond pending the finalization of the probe.
