Bungoma Chief, who demanded facilitation fee from bereaved family, EACC says had fall ill after arraignment in Court.
Following investigations into a complaint from a bereaved family in Bungoma County, the Ethics and Ant-corruption Commission yesterday, the 29th June 2023 arrested John Murutu, the Assistant Chief for Sitikho Sub-Location, Webuye West Sub-County in Bungoma County who had ordered the dependants of the deceased to pay him a mandatory ‘facilitation fee’ of Kes. 10,000 before he could consider signing and processing their land succession documents.
The suspect said to have been processed at EACC Bungoma Regional Office and later escorted to the Bungoma Chief Magistrate’s Court to face charges of demanding and receiving a bribe contrary to Section 6(1)(a) of the Bribery Act.
The chief fall sick immediately he was presented in court.
“However, upon arrival at the Court premises, the official declined to alight from the vehicle. He announced to the detectives accompanying him that he had suddenly “fallen ill” and would thus not be alighting from the vehicle.” A statement from EACC and seen by K47 news team reads.
The detectives called in medical personnel who quickly undertook basic tests that did not return any adverse finding. He then slept in the vehicle and told the detectives that he was not prepared to face the court.
The Court deferred the plea to 5th July 2023 and released the Chief on a Kes. 20,000 cash bail.
Notably, the Commission says, it continues to receive numerous reports of cases where National Government Administration Officers across the country demand bribes from ordinary members of the public, including widows seeking to process succession matters, in order to render Government services.
EACC calls on Regional and County Commissioners to demand administrative accountability from the officers serving under them as a way of eradicating corruption at service delivery points at the grassroots.
