Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested the Assistant County Commissioner for Roysambu Division in Nairobi Mercy Kavoi.
This is after she allegedly demanded a bribe of Sh50,000 from a Mathare Slum resident.
The alleged bribe was in order to return to him construction materials which the Government official had taken away after demolishing the complainant’s Mabati structure in Mathare claiming that it was illegally constructed on a road reserve.
The demolition of the complainant’s mabati structure was allegedly coordinated and executed by the Assistant County Commissioner and local Chief for Riverside Location in Mathare North identified as Mrs Muinde.
After demolition, the Assistant County Commissioner allegedly took away all the construction materials including the iron sheets and window frames, which were kept in her office.
EACC received the complaint on June 9, 2023, on the incident.
The body immediately commenced undercover investigations in which the bribe allegedly demanded of Sh 50,000 by the Assistant County Commissioner was established.
In a meeting at the Assistant County Commissioner’s office on June 13, 2023, the complainant pleaded for mercy to have the demand of Sh50,000 reduced.
"The Assistant County Commissioner accepted to reduce the amount to Sh25,000 on condition that the complainant paid it in full and without further delay," EACC said.
The Assistant County commissioner is said to have ordered the complainant not to deliver the money directly to her but hand it over to her Agent, David Muusya Musyoki.
"Unknown to them, EACC detectives had all along been following the deal including all the bribe demands and negotiations," EACC revealed.
EACC detectives on Wednesday, June 14 arrested the Assistant County Commissioner and the Agent whom she had instructed to receive the bribe money on her behalf.
The arrest was not without drama, however.
"As soon as EACC pounced on the Agent who had already received the Sh 25,000, he took off disappearing into the slum with EACC sleuths in hot pursuit," EACC said.
"EACC Detectives outran the suspect and managed to arrest him but in the scuffle, the suspect threw away the money to the members of the public in Mathare who were watching the unfolding events," EACC said.
A scuffle erupted among the Mathare residents who scrambled for Sh1000 notes thrown out at them by the suspect.
Upon arrest, the Assistant County Commissioner and her graft partner were escorted to EACC Integrity Centre Police Station where they were interviewed and recorded statements on the incident.
They were later released on police bail pending finalization of the remaining aspects of the investigation including recommendation of appropriate charges to the Director of Public Prosecutions on the matter.
Musyoki, the Agent, was taken to Kilimani Police Station where he spent the night after he was unable to raise the bail.
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