BUNGOMA, KENYA — In a dramatic crackdown on corruption in Kenya’s public sector, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested three senior officials of Ramagon Construction Company Limited in connection with a Sh60 million public funds scandal involving the Matili Technical Training Institute (MTTI) in Bungoma County.
The high-profile arrests, which occurred on Tuesday, May 14, 2025, targeted directors Abdi Barre Abdi, Hassan Bare Abdi, and Nagenye Mohamud Dahir. The trio is accused of colluding with rogue public officials to defraud the government through procurement irregularities, inflated contracts, and fraudulent claims.
Overinflated Contract Raises Red Flags
According to an official statement by the EACC, investigations into the construction of a twin workshop complex at MTTI revealed that the original project, initially valued at Ksh 29.3 million, was suspiciously revised upwards to Ksh 59 million without justification. This ballooned figure, EACC alleges, led to an overpayment of Ksh 22 million for services that were either overpriced or never delivered at all.
The Commission further revealed that these irregular payments were made possible through deliberate manipulation of procurement procedures and active collusion with public officials entrusted with overseeing the project. Sources within EACC indicate that several unnamed government officers are also under active investigation and could face arrest in the coming days.
False Claims and Auction Fraud
The corruption saga does not end with the inflated construction contract. EACC has also uncovered an additional false claim of Ksh 9 million submitted by the company, which allegedly triggered a fraudulent auction involving the institute’s assets.
In a shocking turn of events, the Matili Institute’s driving school motor vehicle, valued at Ksh 5.4 million, was auctioned for a mere Ksh 1.2 million — a loss of over 75% of its value. Investigators believe this auction was orchestrated to cover up the bogus claims and funnel money back to the perpetrators.
Suspects Apprehended and Held by EACC
The three directors were arrested in Bungoma County during a coordinated sting operation by EACC detectives. They are currently being processed at both the EACC Headquarters in Nairobi and the Western Regional Office, as the Commission wraps up its investigations.
“The Commission has sufficient evidence to support charges of procurement fraud, abuse of office, and embezzlement of public funds,” said an EACC official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The matter is now set to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who will review the findings and determine appropriate criminal charges. The EACC also plans to recommend asset recovery measures to reclaim the lost public funds and recover the fraudulently auctioned vehicle.
Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability
The arrest of the Ramagon bosses has sparked widespread public outrage, with citizens taking to social media to demand tougher penalties for those implicated in looting public resources. Many Kenyans have decried the apparent ease with which public contracts are manipulated, and assets disposed of, by individuals entrusted with managing development funds.
“This is yet another reminder of how deeply entrenched corruption is within public infrastructure projects,” said Julius Khaemba, a governance activist based in Bungoma. “The government must not only prosecute the suspects but also recover every stolen shilling.”
Ramagon’s Shady Past Under Scrutiny
This is not the first time Ramagon Construction Company Limited has come under the EACC radar. Previous audit reports have linked the company to questionable dealings in various counties, with allegations ranging from substandard construction work to delayed project delivery.
With the current case gaining national attention, anti-corruption advocates are calling for a comprehensive audit of all public contracts awarded to Ramagon over the past five years.
EACC Steps Up the War on Graft
The arrests come as part of a renewed push by the EACC to crack down on corruption in county-level projects and technical institutions, which have increasingly become targets for financial mismanagement.
EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak recently stated that the Commission is currently pursuing over 150 high-impact corruption cases across the country, many involving senior public officers and prominent contractors.
“The fight against corruption is alive and active. We will not relent until we see justice served,” Mbarak said during a press briefing last week.
As the country awaits the DPP’s decision on prosecution, all eyes will remain on the unfolding scandal, with Kenyans demanding not just arrests, but convictions and full asset recovery to send a clear message that corruption will no longer be tolerated.
