The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested Leonard Kevin Nyamasege, the Deputy Clerk and Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nyamira County Assembly, over alleged procurement irregularities linked to the construction of an office block.
According to the commission, investigations revealed that the tender for the project was awarded to Jetta Builders Ltd even though the company was not the lowest evaluated bidder.
EACC alleges that the decision led to an undue financial benefit of Ksh30.19 million being awarded to the contractor, raising concerns about whether the procurement process followed the law.
Following the investigations, the Director of Public Prosecutions approved charges against Nyamasege and five other suspects. The charges include abuse of office, wilful failure to comply with public finance laws, and negligence of official duty.
The prosecution believes there is sufficient evidence for the suspects to answer the charges before the court.
Nyamasege appeared before the Nyamira Law Courts on Tuesday. However, the court did not take his plea after his lawyer informed the magistrate that the High Court in Kisumu had issued temporary orders stopping his arrest and prosecution.
As a result, the court deferred the plea taking and scheduled the matter for mention on July 28 to receive further directions on how the case will proceed.
The latest development comes as EACC continues its investigations into the procurement process surrounding the office block project.
The commission has maintained that public procurement must be carried out fairly, competitively, and in accordance with the law to ensure taxpayers receive value for money.
The arrest of Nyamasege follows the earlier apprehension of Nyamira County Assembly Clerk Duke Simeon Onyari, who is also linked to the same investigation.
EACC has stated that efforts to trace and arrest the remaining suspects are ongoing so they can face the approved charges.
The commission has in recent years stepped up investigations into alleged corruption and misuse of public funds in both national and county governments.
Procurement remains one of the areas that attracts close scrutiny because of the large amounts of public money involved and the legal requirement that contracts be awarded through a transparent and competitive process.
The mention scheduled for July 28 is expected to provide direction on the effect of the High Court orders and determine the next steps in the criminal proceedings.
The case is likely to be closely followed as EACC continues its efforts to hold public officials accountable over the management of public resources.
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