How EACC used Kiserian matatu to raid Samburu Governor’s home

Ethics and Anti-corruption detectives yesterday used a 14-seater Matatu to raid Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal’s Karen home.

The sleuths who arrived at Lenolkulal’s Karen home aboard the Matatu jumped into action as soon as the gate was opened by the security guards.

“It was like a movie, the detectives who were armed to the teeth swung into action as soon as the security guard had opened the gate,” an eyewitness who sought anonymity said.

“It happened so fast that by the time we realized it they were already inside the compound,” another witness told Nairobi News.

The matatu which is registered under Serian Sacco plies the Nairobi - Kiserian route.

Detectives carried away several documents and electronics from the governor’s house.

The governor was in Nairobi at the time of the raid. He was taken for questioning and later released.

Where it all started

EACC said their investigation had exposed gross financial misappropriation, conflict of interest and embezzlement of funds in an organised and systematic pattern involving county officials working in different departments.

“The searches are in furtherance of investigations that the commission has been carrying out which have revealed that the county has lost over Sh2 billion in the past four years,” said the commission’s CEO Twalib Mbarak.

He added that their investigators had also revealed that most of the money was withdrawn in cash and shared out among various county officials.

In other cases, he added, contractors were irregularly awarded contracts worth over Sh1 billion for works partly or never done after which they paid kickbacks to top county officers.

Mbarak said the commission has evidence of millions of shillings in bribes paid to various county employees, by companies that were awarded contracts.

The homes and offices of county executives and contractors awarded various contracts by the county were also raided.

EACC officials said they would send their investigation file to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions with recommendations for action.