Linet Okungu and Benard Ngeno, two Judiciary staff members based in Eldoret and Nakuru, have been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over separate allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes in exchange for court services.
Okungu, a Court Assistant attached to a Magistrate’s Court in Eldoret, was arrested on September 8, 2026, after allegedly receiving Ksh20,000 as part of a Ksh50,000 bribe linked to a court order. The money was allegedly sought to facilitate the issuance of a stay order to stop the auction of a parcel of land in a matter before the court.
The arrest followed a complaint from a court user who alleged that a Magistrate had demanded Ksh50,000 to secure the stay order. EACC moved in after the complaint was made, leading to Okungu’s arrest.
She was processed at Eldoret Police Station and later released on a cash bail of Ksh20,000 as investigations continue.
In a separate case in Nakuru, Ngeno, a court process server attached to the Nakuru Law Courts Civil Registry, was arrested over allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe to help a complainant secure a convenient mention date for a case.
Ngeno was escorted to the EACC South Rift Regional Office in Nakuru for processing before being released on a cash bail of Ksh5,000 pending the completion of investigations.
The two cases raise serious questions about corruption at one of the most sensitive points of public service delivery. Court users seeking justice should not have to worry that a court order, hearing date or other service can be influenced by who is willing or able to pay.
The allegations are particularly serious because the Judiciary exists to protect the rights of citizens and provide a fair path to justice. Any attempt to turn court services into a source of personal income undermines public trust and leaves ordinary Kenyans feeling that justice is only available to those who can afford it.
The EACC has said the arrests demonstrate its commitment to fighting bribery and corruption at public service delivery points. But the real test will come through the investigations and any subsequent prosecution.
Citizens deserve a justice system where court services are provided because the law requires them, not because someone has paid for them. A court should be the last place where a Kenyan is forced to ask, “How much will it cost me to get justice?”
