EACC Assures Vihiga Assembly Officials Daring It To Sue Them: "No Need For Another Presser"

• The EACC sought to burst the bubble of some Vihiga County Assembly officials who had earlier denied allegations of corruption, daring the commission to a lawsuit
• According to the anti-graft body, the officials were being investigated in two separate instances of corruption that saw the assembly losing KSh 300 million
• The EACC in a statement said the officials would be arraigned once the investigations were completed

Vihiga - The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has responded to a section of Vihiga County Assembly officials who showed up at a presser gun-blazing after being implicated in a multi-million shilling scandal.

The anti-graft body is investigating allegations of massive corruption in the assembly including alleged embezzlement of KSh 200 million worth of Mortgage and Car Loan Funds by senior officials including the County Assembly Speaker Christopher Omulele, Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) and staff.

They are also alleged to have embezzled over KSh 100 million in imprest fraud for ‘ghost’ trips and activities which did not take place, according to the EACC.

The anti-graft body carried out a raid into the assembly on Thursday, December 21, where the clerk Job Ombaka and principal financial officer Oscar Chagona were apprehended.

Their homes were also raided in the course of the investigations.

Their colleagues, led by Speaker Christopher Omulele, came out in protest accusing the EACC of overstepping its mandate and troubling the duo who were yet to be arraigned.

They said no evidence was presented to warrant the arrest of the two officials.

"None of them have been arrested. None so far is undergoing any criminal proceedings in regard to the alleged embezzlement. We have not seen any charge sheet, arraignment order or court summons," they said in the assembly headquarters in Maragoli.

The leaders further accused the EACC of being misused by unmentioned quarters to settle political scores.

However, in an earnest response, the anti-graft agency held on to its stance saying monies were missing and the investigations were ongoing.

It said the case was yet to be concluded, asking the officials to hold on to their horses as things were just getting started.

"The officials led by the Speaker are wondering why they are yet to be arraigned before court after the Commission undertook an investigative search in the Assembly offices and six residences of the officials on Thursday.

The Commission urges them to be patient as it prepares for the court date they are seeking. In our approach to investigations, a search or arrest is not an end to the probe," said EACC.