EACC recovers and hands over Sh20million property to Police

Mathira Mp Rigathia Gachagua (second left) shows Inspector general of police Joseph Boinett (second right) EACC Chairman Eliud Wabukala (left) and Central regional commissioner Wilson Njega (right) the extent of the police land that had been grabbed after the Eacc repossesed and handed it back to police at Karatina Police Station on May 9, 2018. [Mose Sammy/Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) yesterday defended its track record in fighting corruption stating they had made strides in the graft war.

EACC Chairperson Eliud Wabukala yesterday said the commission had successfully recovered stolen assets worth Sh6 billion, specifically property that had been grabbed from the public both nationally and internationally.

Speaking during the handing over of two parcels of land that had been grabbed from the National Police Service in Karatina Town in Nyeri, Wabukala said the commission was effectively carrying out its mandate.

“Today we are handing over these pieces of land that had been grabbed from Karatina Police Station and we will carry out a similar exercise in Laikipia and Mombasa soon,” he pointed out.

Wabukala said the commission had also managed to return public assets in Canada and United Kingdom which is also part of their mandate.

EACC Deputy CEO Micheal Mubea said the agency had recovered 12 parcels of land valued at Sh20 million measuring one acre owned by the National Police service.

The pieces of land had been grabbed by a group of individuals who had already been issued allotments letters for the parcels meant for the expansion of Karatina Police Station.

“Residents of Karatina Town came forward and informed EACC about the grabbing of the land.We would like to appreciate their decision to defend public land,” Mubea said.

He noted the commission had so far recovered assets worth Sh 6billion in the last financial year and would continue to return public assets to the rightful owners.

“Public property is not free or up for grabs, and you must understand that it belongs to all of us and the recovery of these assets sends a message to those looting for financial gain that they will have to return what they have stolen,” he insisted.

Wabukala thanked whistle blowers who had informed the EACC about the grabbing of public land and asked all Kenyans to take individual responsibility to fight corruption.

“As a commission we must appreciate the tremendous efforts of those who expose corruption to great personal risk so they can protect public resources and funds and ask all of us to emulate these individuals and come forward to expose fraud,” he said.

The EACC officials handed over the land to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet who lauded the commission for helping the National Police Service recover its property.

“It is astonishing that people can be so brazen as to steal from the police and think they can get away with it, I would like to ask the EACC to help us recover all assets stolen from the National police service across the country,”Boinnet stated.

He defended the EACC’s efforts to stamp out corruption in the country and invited them to carry out a systems audit of the NPS to assess if there were any loopholes in the NPS that could facilitiate corruption.

“We would like the EACC to carry out an audit of our systems so we can seal any loopholes for corruption and I would like to make it clear, we are not targeting anyone or a specific department, “he noted.

Boinnet said the focus of the audit was focused on the systems used I carrying out police operations to ensure there were no gaps that could be exploited for corruption.

Other leaders who attended the ceremony were Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, his deputy, Caroline Karugu, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and County Speaker John Kaguchia.