Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-04-18 18:35:40
A senior government official serving as the Deputy Director of Programmes, Public Policy, and President’s Priority Initiatives is facing charges. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced that Pius Chirchir has been charged with Abuse of Office and Attempting to commit a felony at the Makadara Law Courts.
The charges stem from an investigation in which Chirchir was accused of demanding a two per cent stake from Kentegra Pyrethrum Company Limited to help them navigate regulatory obstacles. The Pyrethrum Act of 2013 mandates the use of the electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) by farmers, and Chirchir allegedly sought a bribe to circumvent this requirement.
In addition, Chirchir reportedly offered to absolve the company of any wrongdoing in a case involving the illegal sale of two tons of Kentegra dried pyrethrum flowers. He appeared in court on April 16, 2024, where he was formally charged with the two offenses. He was granted bail set at Ksh200,000, with an option of Ksh100,000.
The case is scheduled to be mentioned on June 13, 2024, with a hearing date set for September 17, 2024, at Court No. 7 of Makadara Law Courts. This incident adds to a series of arrests made by anti-corruption agencies on government officials suspected of involvement in fraudulent activities.
In a separate case, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested seven senior county government officials from Isiolo for their alleged role in fraudulent procurement activities. The arrest was related to a corrupt tender awarded for the supply and delivery of a fire engine during the Financial Year 2018/2019.
Furthermore, on January 24, EACC officials in Mombasa arrested nine individuals, including six from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), for embezzling public funds through a tender awarded to a company they owned. The suspects face charges of conflict of interest, fraudulent acquisition of public property, and forgery of documents used in the scam.
These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and malpractice within government institutions. The authorities are committed to holding accountable those who abuse their positions for personal gain and undermine the integrity of public service.
Read the original article on Kenyans.co.ke
