Image courtesy iPleaders

Officers from The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have been investigating what is a curious case even in by the experience – crooks pretending to be EACC officers and demanding bribes.

The Commission received a report from a complainant alleging that he received a call from a person who said that she worked for Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as an investigator. The fake officer then solicited a bribe of KSh.1,000,000 supposedly in order for the suspect and his “boss” to drop the case against him in relation to a stolen Nairobi Water and Sanitation Company’s water meter.

The complainant reported to the Commission that he had already given the suspect a total of KSh700,000 and that the suspects were still demanding a further ‘balance’ of KSh300,000.

Sting Operation

A sting operation was then mounted, whereby the complainant was given KSh300,000 for purposes of handing over to the suspects. However, the Commission Officers arrested the suspects before they could receive the bribe and they were positively identified by the complainant.

Investigations established that the suspects were not employees of the Commission and that they had requested for a bribe of KSh1,000,000 and received a total of KSh700,000 from the complainant.

Charges Recommended

On 28th July, 2022, a report was compiled and forwarded to the DPP with recommendations that the two suspects be charged with:

• One count of impersonating an investigator contrary to section 34 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003;
• Three counts of receiving a bribe contrary to section 6 (1) (a) as read with section 18 of the Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016;
• Two counts of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 313 of the Penal Code.

The DPP returned the inquiry file for further investigations.