Officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested 11 officials from the Vihiga County government on suspicion of embezzling public funds totaling Ksh 17 million.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 13, the EACC confirmed that those arrested included Dr. Arnold Kimiyia Mamadi, the Chief Officer for Medical Services, and Godfrey Oyaro, the Director of Procurement. They are scheduled to be charged before the Kakamega Anti-Corruption Court at 9:00 am.
The suspects are alleged to have embezzled funds through fraudulent payments for non-existent works related to the purported construction of a Blood Transfusion Centre in Vihiga, intended to assist patients requiring blood transfusions.
Following their arrest, the suspects were taken to Kakamega Law Courts on Thursday morning to enter their pleas after spending the night at Kisumu Port Police Station.
EACC also announced that another suspect implicated in the scheme, QS. Eugene Wandera Wamalwa, the Principal Quantity Surveyor for Vihiga County, is currently on the run and has been ordered to report to the EACC Regional Office in Kisumu.
This arrest follows an EACC investigation launched earlier in the week concerning alleged embezzlement of Ksh 1.2 billion by eight senior officials from Garissa County. EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi stated that these officials were suspected of trading directly or indirectly with the county government through their own firms or those owned by close family members.
