Three senior Tana River County officials arrested in Sh3.6m borehole tender probe

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices at the Integrity Centre in Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has today arrested three top officials in Tana River County over a borehole drilling tender probe.

The officers arrested include the Chief officer and two other senior officials.

In a statement by EACC on Wednesday, the said probe involves the award of a Sh3.6 milliontender in the towns of Mororo and Madogo within the county.

"The Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission has arrested the following senior officials for irregular procurement of Sh3,635,512.00 borehole drilling services at Mororo, Madogo Town within Tana River County," the Commission said.

The three are identified as Mohamed Muhammad Guracho- Tana River County Chief Officer, Salim Juma Makorani- the Tana Water and Sanitation Company Technical Manager, and Gwiyo Madubi- Director for Water at Tana River County Government.

The anti-graft agency further says the trio will be charged with the offences of abuse of office and willful failure to comply with laws relating to public procurement before the Malindi Anti-Corruption Court.

"The Chief Officer was arrested this morning while the other two officials were arrested yesterday and processed at Malindi Central Police Station," EACC noted.

The latest arrests come in the wake of similar arrests this year alone. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested one Daniel Omido, a health administrative officer at the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) for soliciting a bribe from a citizen earlier in September this year.

According to a statement from EACC, the arrest followed a report filed two days earlier.

"The arrest arose from investigations following a report that was filed with the Commission on 7th September 2022. The complainant alleged that his company Quality Plus Laboratory and Consultancy Services was awarded a two-year food handlers examination contract by the Nairobi City County Government under Nairobi Metropolitan Services from May 2022 to May 2024." The statement read in part.

Three months ago, former commissioner of lands Wilson Gachanja was arrested for allegedly aiding in the illegal acquisition of public land by private developers in Kwale County.

Gachanja was arrested in a swoop alongside former Ministry of Lands physical planner Jabu Salim Mohamed and former coast region Lands Commissioner, Zablon Mabeya. They are set to appear in court in Mombasa County on June 21, 2022.

Ten months ago, six people were arrested over the alleged misappropriation of Sh85.1 million in the Homa Bay County Assembly. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives arrested former clerk of the county assembly Bob Kephas, interdicted chief finance officer Caroline Sang', interdicted senior accounts controller Maurice Amek and three others - Evelyne Ogutu of Nyangume Enterprise, David Mireri and Lilian Aloo of Damila Enterprises.