The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a chief officer from Kitui County and five directors of companies over alleged corruption involving county contracts worth KSh17.48 million.
The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into claims of conflict of interest and procurement irregularities linked to contracts awarded over several financial years.
According to the commission, six suspects were arrested and were expected to appear before the Kitui Law Courts on Thursday afternoon. EACC also said it is looking for three other suspects who are believed to have gone into hiding.
The commission has directed them to report immediately to its Lower Eastern Regional Office in Machakos or the nearest EACC office for processing.
The investigation was completed before the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). After reviewing the evidence, the ODPP approved the prosecution of nine suspects on several charges.
The proposed charges include conflict of interest, abuse of office, money laundering, acquisition of proceeds of crime and engaging in corrupt procurement practices. The case is expected to proceed through the courts as the accused respond to the allegations.
EACC said its investigations found that the county official allegedly conducted business with the county government through companies linked to other individuals while serving as the chief officer and Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) holder in the Departments of Irrigation, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Investigators also claim the official awarded contracts or approved payments to companies associated with close relatives and business associates. The commission believes these actions created a conflict of interest and breached public procurement laws.
According to EACC, the companies under investigation received more than KSh14.1 million from Kitui County between the 2018/19 and 2024/25 financial years.
Financial investigations also reportedly uncovered transactions between the public officer and some of the directors of the companies involved in the case.
The commission said the findings formed the basis of the criminal charges approved by the ODPP. It has urged the remaining suspects to surrender as investigations and court proceedings continue.
The latest arrests are part of a broader campaign by EACC to fight corruption in county governments across the country.
In recent months, the commission has taken action against public officials in counties including Nairobi, Nakuru and Narok as it seeks to strengthen accountability in the use of public funds and ensure procurement processes follow the law.
