The Commission on Friday apprehended two women in Kakamega County after they demanded a bribe of Kes. 50,000 from a trader in order to return goods they had impounded from his supermarket in Khayega Shopping Centre, Shinyalu Constituency, Kakamega County.
According to Ethic And Anticorruption Commission EACC, the suspects, who did not have identification documents, gave their names as Ruth Kaimuri of ID. No. 22629177 and Tabitha Kwena Wangeci of ID No. 23918903.
The two are reported to have operated under a private entity called Multi-Agency Works and Rights Enforcement, which has reportedly been presenting itself to the public as a law enforcement body, and undertaking various law enforcement functions, including criminal investigations, arrests, inspection of stock in shops to verify compliance with standards and expiry dates, business operating licenses, and tax compliance by traders.
Officials of the said entity, including the arrested suspects, are reported to have been confiscating goods from businesses and demanding bribes ranging from Kes. 20,000 to Kes. 50,000 per trader in order to release the impounded goods and ‘waive’ purported criminal charges against the traders.
Upon receipt of the complaint, EACC Bungoma detectives mounted an operation leading to the arrest of the suspects while receiving the money from the complainant. Prior to this intervention, the suspects had “arrested’’ the supermarket’s attendant and impounded goods.
The two women were booked at Khayega Police Station where they are currently detained. EACC has noted an upsurge in cases of this nature especially in Western Kenya, and appeals to any person who may have been a victim to promptly report the matter to the nearest EACC office, Huduma Service Desk, or police station.
It is regrettable that many Kenyans, including senior government officials, have fallen prey to impersonators who have extorted huge amounts of money from them partly due to the readiness of the victims to bribe their way out of perceived trouble, including corruption allegations.
EACC says any suspected imposter may be reported to EACC through Toll-Free No. 1551.
