NAIROBI, Kenya, July 19 – Janet Mwendwa, an employee of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), has been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in connection with a fraudulent tender award.
According to the EACC, Mwendwa is accused of awarding a tender worth Sh 6.4 million to a company owned by her daughter. The commission’s statement confirmed that Mwendwa played an active role in the tender evaluation process that led to the award.
EACC’s investigation reveals that Mwendwa may have exploited her position at KPA to facilitate business transactions through her daughter’s company. The charges against her include conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property, fraudulent practices in procurement, and falsifying documents.
Following recommendations from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, Mwendwa was arrested and taken to court for plea-taking at the Mombasa Anti-Corruption Court.
This arrest follows a day after EACC detectives apprehended five other individuals linked to the theft of over Sh 450 million from the Ministry of Interior’s State Department for Correctional Services. One of the suspects, Eric Kipkirui Mutai, a cleaner at the State Department, owns seven companies that reportedly received Sh 257 million of the stolen funds.
The EACC has also issued warrants for eight additional suspects, including the former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons, Benjamin Njoga.