EACC says about to arrest governor over fake degree

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO and Secretary Twalib Mbarak. [Esther Jeruto, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is pursuing a governor believed to have forged academic certificates.

EACC boss Twalib Mbarak on Friday told MPs being inducted in Nairobi of an imminent arrest of a governor for violating the law.

"The Director of Public Prosecution has concurred with EACC recommendations to prosecute the governor," said Mr Mbarak. He did not name the suspect.

He also shocked MPs when he disclosed that EACC had profiled governors and will prioritise investigations in county government based on corruption risks identified in financial management, procurement, and recruitment.

A week ago, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told investigators not to harass governors and instructed DCI to go back to their offices and wait for crimes to be reported.

Mr Gachagua was addressing the county bosses during the inaugural meeting of the Council of Governors in Mombasa. But Mr Mbarak emphasised that EACC has always distinguished itself as a professional and objective investigative body.

"The EACC is required by law to account for its performance and actions to Kenyans through annual, quarterly and other periodic reports to Parliament. We have strived to do our work as per the law," said Mbarak.

He said they were pursuing forfeiture of corruptly acquired assets approximated to be worth Sh33 billion in various courts.

He said they have concluded 501 investigations on corruption and related offences with some high-impact cases involving former and current governors, principal secretaries, senators, MPs, and managing directors of state corporations among others.

He said 191 graft cases were finalised in court with assets worth Sh22.8 billion recovered for public benefit.

"We averted loss of approximately Sh32.5 billion through proactive investigation and disruption of corruption networks. We remain focused on our mandate and will be doing our work professionally without regard to a person's political or any other affiliation," he added.

He told the legislators that EACC on average, recovers and returns to the public corruptly acquired assets approximated at Sh6 billion and disrupts potential loss of public funds amounting to approximately Sh10 billion annually.