KRA Officer Arraigned for Allegedly Taking KES 500,000 Bribe to File Fake Nil Returns
A Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) compliance officer has been charged in court after an elaborate investigation revealed he allegedly solicited and received bribes amounting to KES 500,000 to help a school falsify its tax filings. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) confirmed the arrest and prosecution of Mr. Evans Agumba Oriato, who is based at the KRA Kisumu office.
According to the EACC, Mr. Oriato allegedly demanded the money from Jane Memorial Secondary School as an inducement to “assist” the institution in filing nil tax returns for the years 2016 to 2020. Investigations revealed that the suspect summoned representatives of the school to his office, claiming there were irregularities in their filings that needed to be urgently addressed.
On December 31, 2021, the officer is said to have demanded a staggering KES 1 million from the complainants. He reportedly received an upfront payment of KES 500,000 and insisted the remaining amount would be settled once he completed the process of clearing the alleged irregularities. However, after receiving the initial payment, Mr. Oriato allegedly made persistent demands for the balance, prompting the school officials to report the matter to EACC’s Western Regional Office in Kisumu.
Acting on the complaint, EACC detectives launched a sting operation aimed at capturing the officer in the act. The operation culminated in his arrest as he allegedly received an additional KES 250,000. He was taken for processing at EACC offices and later released on a cash bail of KES 100,000 pending the conclusion of investigations.
Following the probe, the EACC submitted the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). After reviewing the evidence, the DPP concurred with the Commission’s recommendation to charge the officer.
On November 12, 2025, Mr. Oriato was summoned, booked at Railways Police Station in Kisumu, and held overnight ahead of his court appearance. He was subsequently arraigned before the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court, where he faced three counts of receiving a bribe, contrary to Section 6(1) as read with Section 18(1) and (2) of the Anti-Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016.
The accused denied all charges and was released on a bond of KES 500,000 with a surety of the same amount.
EACC stated that the operation forms part of its ongoing nationwide crackdown targeting bribery in public service delivery points. The agency affirmed its commitment to ensuring that all citizens access government services without facing extortion, corruption, or illegal inducements.
The case against the KRA officer is set to proceed as authorities intensify efforts to curb corruption within tax administration and other critical public sectors.
