A long court battle looms as governors who in the past recorded statements with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) brace themselves after their files were forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
According to a source who did not want to be named, if the DPP approves their files, some of the high-profile individuals may be arraigned in court as early as next week.
“They are likely to face accusations including failure to comply with the law relating to the management of public funds and fraudulent acquisition of public property,” the source familiar with the investigations at EACC said yesterday.
It is also closing in on at least 227 members of the county assembly for various omissions and unethical behaviour.
A top EACC official said they are not working on new cases but old and active. He, however, added that the commission has fast tracked the cases that have been pending for several years.
The source added that some of the cases—except those Samburu governor Moses Lenolkulal and Okoth Obado (Migori)—date back to 2013 when EACC recorded statements from the affected persons. Former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero’s case is already before court.
Others who have recorded statements with EACC include Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Martin Wambora (Embu), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Mwangi wa Iria (Murang’a), Samuel Ragwa (Tharaka Nithi), Godana Doyo (Isiolo), Sospeter Ojaamong(Busia) and Nathif Jama (Garissa).
Vincent Okong’o, EACC Preventive Director, on Tuesday said more than 20 sitting and former governors are under active investigation for corruption-related issues and would soon be arrested and arraigned.
According to Okong’o, an EACC visit to at least 19 county executives and 17 county assemblies had revealed that most devolved units had weak systems that made it easier for the graft to flourish in the two entities.
It was even made worse when county executives colluded with ward representatives to loot and swindle public resources.
EACC has proposed an amendment to the law to empower the commission to monitor wealth declaration digitally in order to mitigate the ongoing graft in the national and county governments.