Two more Nyamira County Assembly officials linked to alleged irregularities in the award of a Sh367 million tender for the construction of an office block for the Assembly have been arrested.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), in a statement, said the irregularities allegedly resulted in the loss of Sh30,187,396 in public funds.
The suspects, David Nyarango Ombego, Deputy Clerk/Director, Legislative, Legal Procedure, and Committee Services and Joyce Onyiego, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, were arrested within Kisii County in a well-coordinated operation by EACC Investigators.
The anti-graft agency said the suspects will face charges including abuse of office, willful failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds, and negligence of official duty.
The two are being processed at EACC’s South Nyanza Regional Office in Kisii, pending arraignment.
Three other officials previously arrested and charged in connection with the case are Duke Simeon Onyari, Clerk of the Nyamira County Assembly, Eng Josephat Matini Oruru, Chief Officer for Roads and Public Works and Simon Ondari Ogecha, Infrastructure Officer.
In October last year, the agency raided the homes and offices of Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and four senior county officials over another alleged irregular award of a Sh382 million tender for the construction of county offices.
The officials identified as persons of interest included directors Lameck Machuki Nyariki (Housing and Physical Planning), Peris Mose (Roads and former head of procurement), and chief officers Asberth Maobe (Finance and Accounting Services) and Josphat Oruru (Roads, Transport and Public Works).
According to the EACC, the officials were suspected of engaging in corruption and economic crimes by authorising inflated payments to Spentech Engineering Limited, the firm awarded the construction contract.
An audit then revealed that the funds paid were not commensurate with the work done, prompting investigators to pursue accountability for the alleged loss of public funds.
The Commission said Governor Nyaribo was being investigated over claims that he irregularly paid himself Sh18 million, including an ex-gratia payment and a Sh13 million house allowance reimbursement.
