NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested four public officers in separate operations in Kwale and Bungoma counties over allegations of demanding and receiving bribes.
The suspects include two Kenya Power security officers in Diani, Kwale County, and two Law Compliance and Enforcement officers attached to the Bungoma County Government in Kimilili.
According to the EACC, the officers were arrested in separate operations after members of the public reported alleged demands for money in exchange for avoiding enforcement action.
The four suspects were subsequently released on cash bail of Sh20,000 each, with investigations continuing.
Two Kenya Power officers arrested in Kwale
In Kwale, EACC officers from the Commission’s Lower Coast Regional Office in Mombasa arrested Joseph Dena and Fredrick Odhiambo, two Kenya Power security officers based in Diani.
The two are accused of demanding Sh100,000 from a complainant whom they allegedly accused of illegally using electricity.
According to the EACC, the officers allegedly demanded the money in exchange for helping the complainant avoid arrest and further legal action.
Following the complaint, detectives organised an operation that resulted in the two suspects being arrested while allegedly receiving Sh50,000.
The officers were taken to Mombasa Central Police Station, where they were booked and later released on cash bail of Sh20,000 each.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
Bungoma officers accused of demanding cyber café bribe
In a separate operation in Kimilili, Bungoma County, EACC detectives arrested Victoria Mala Nafula and Elizabeth Nafuna Lukhale, two county Law Compliance and Enforcement officers.
The two are accused of demanding and receiving a bribe from a cyber café operator.
According to the EACC, the officers allegedly demanded money from the businessman to allow him to continue operating his business without a licence.
They are also accused of threatening to close the cyber café if the operator failed to pay the alleged bribe.
Following preliminary investigations, EACC detectives conducted an operation that resulted in the two officers being arrested while allegedly receiving money from the complainant.
The suspects were first taken to the EACC Western Regional Office in Bungoma for processing before being transferred to Bungoma Police Station, where they spent the night.
They were released the following morning on cash bail of Sh20,000 each as investigations continued.
EACC intensifies anti-bribery crackdown
The arrests form part of EACC’s wider efforts to combat bribery and other forms of corruption at public service delivery points.
The commission says such areas are particularly vulnerable because citizens frequently interact directly with public officers while seeking government services or dealing with enforcement requirements.
The latest operations also highlight the role of public complaints in triggering investigations into alleged bribery.
In both Kwale and Bungoma, EACC said it acted after receiving complaints before conducting operations that resulted in the arrests.
EACC urges public to report bribery
The anti-corruption commission has urged members of the public to report cases in which government officers demand bribes or engage in other corrupt practices.
EACC said complaints received from citizens are handled in accordance with the law and can assist investigators in identifying and pursuing suspected corruption.
