EACC arrests West Pokot officers over fraud during Lonyangapuo leadership
By Winstone Cheseremi, September 24, 2024
Sleuths from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested two senior officers who served under the administration of former West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo over alleged embezzlement of public funds amounting to Sh296 million at the devolved unit.
The two, identified as Mary Ngoriakes, former Chief Officer for Education and Mathew Arusio, the former County Director of Bursary were seized by a team of detectives in Kapenguria town.
The anti-graft agency’s spokesperson Eric Ngumbi confirmed the arrest of the two former officials saying that they will be charged with economic crime in Eldoret court today.
“The two officers were arrested this morning in West Pokot after our detectives completed investigations and they will later be detained at Eldoret Central Police Station pending arraignment before the Eldoret Anti-Corruption Court tomorrow (September 24, 2024, at 9 am),” said Ngumbi in a statement released to media houses yesterday.
The suspects spent most of their day at the North Rift EACC regional offices pending processing of documents to be used against them in court.
They are among four suspects from the county who are expected to be charged with corruption charges relating to stealing of public funds worth Sh296 million in the County during the regime of the former governor.
Lonyangapuo who is also the Kenya Union Party leader was appointed by President William Ruto last year to chair the North Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency. The money was allegedly embezzled during the financial years 2017/18 and 2021/22. Their arrest came after in-depth investigations that were carried out by EACC detectives after complaints against the suspects were reported. According to EACC, senior officials in the regional government hatched and executed a fraudulent scheme.