Kitui Chief Officer, five directors arrested over alleged Sh17.5m procurement fraud

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The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested Kitui County Chief Officer for Agriculture and Fisheries Gladys Mami Kivoto and five company directors over alleged conflict of interest and procurement irregularities involving county contracts worth Sh17.48 million.

The arrests follow investigations into allegations that Kivoto used proxy companies linked to her and her associates to secure county contracts between the 2018/2019 and 2024/2025 financial years while serving as a senior county official.

According to the EACC, Kivoto allegedly traded with the County Government of Kitui through five companies, Shanel Construction Company Ltd, ECO Stone Company Limited, AZ Links Company Ltd, DTK Construction Company Ltd and 4-Walls Company Ltd.

"The firms are said to have received a combined Sh14.1 million in payments from the county during the period under investigation," EACC stated.

Investigators established that Kivoto, who served as Chief Officer and Authorised Officer (AIE Holder) in the Departments of Irrigation and later Agriculture and Fisheries, allegedly awarded contracts to the firms and approved payments despite having personal interests in the businesses.

The anti-graft agency further said investigations revealed that Josephine Mwikali Wambua, a director of Shanel Construction Company Ltd, Makoma Wambua, a director of AZ Links Company Ltd, and Emmanuel Wambua, a director of ECO Stone Company Limited, are close relatives of Kivoto. F

Financial records also allegedly showed money transfers between Kivoto and directors of DTK Construction Company Ltd and 4-Walls Company Ltd.

"EACC has forwarded the inquiry file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved the prosecution of nine suspects on charges including conflict of interest, abuse of office, engaging in corrupt procurement practices, money laundering, and the acquisition of proceeds of crime," the statement read in part

The directors arrested are Gladys Mami Kivoto, Chief Officer for Agriculture and Fisheries; Josephine Mwikali Wambua, Director of Shanel Construction Company Ltd, Roselyne Kyambi Kilonzi, Director of Shanel Construction Company Ltd, Mary Mueni Mbiti, Director of DTK Construction Company Ltd and 4-Walls Company Limited.

Jonathan Kivondo Kieti, Director of DTK Construction Company Ltd and Onesmus Munyao Nzioka, Director of ECO Stone Company Limited were also taken into custody.

The suspects are expected to appear before the Kitui Law Courts.

Meanwhile, the EACC has directed three other suspects believed to have gone into hiding to surrender at its Lower Eastern Regional Office in Machakos or the nearest EACC office for processing.

The wanted individuals are Makoma Wambua, Emmanuel Wambua and Stella Nthenya Kioko, all directors of companies linked to the investigations.