IEBC Clears Ex EPRA Boss Wanted For Corruption

IEBC has cleared former EPRA boss Pavel Oimeke to contest the Bonchari Parliamentary by-election. He is running on an ODM ticket.

The Bonchari seat was left vacant after the death of MP John Oroo. The MP died at Kisumu’s Aga Khan Hospital after a long illness.

ODM picked the former EPRA director-general as its candidate in the Bonchari Constituency by-election to be held in May 2021.

Oimeke was accused of bribery in an incident that led to his arrest by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

EACC Case

He was held in custody and later released on police bond, as the agency concludes the investigation.

EACC said a filling station in Oyugis had previously been closed after being fined in a case involving possessing super export petrol. After paying Ksh309,842 to KRA, and later issuing a clearance letter; the station opted to go through the EPRA DG to get authorisation for reopening.

EPRA intentionally delayed releasing the authorisation prompting the staff from the filling station to visit the regulatory body and initiate communication.

They would exchange numbers and conversation would continue over the phone. On December 10, the complainant reported the case to EACC.

Later undercover investigators accompanied the complainant to EPRA headquarters with the demanded Sh200,000.

A statement from EACC read: "After a while, the complainant handed over the Sh200,000 at Mr Oimeke’s office consequently the approval letter was issued to him after the bribe."