Vihiga County Chief Officer for Education (COE) Dr. Noel Malanda has been arrested in the ongoing corruption investigations in the county government.
In a statement, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said the suspect was arrested on Thursday, January 4 for alleged extortion, kickbacks, and other forms of corrupt conduct.
“She is believed to be running a graft scheme in her docket where she demands hefty kickbacks before any contract award and further before any payments are made for completed works,” read the statement in parts.
In the case probed by EACC, Malanda allegedly demanded Ksh.200,000 from a trader who had supplied ECD Certificates as a condition for approving his payment of Kes. 1.8 million.
“During the arrest, the Commission recovered Kes. 400,000 in her office believed to be part of the money extorted from contractors,” added the statement.
Besides, the Commission explained that the suspect was unable to account for the seized funds.
Work Without Contracts
Reports emerged that the officer has been directing contractors to start work without a signed contract.
“It is emerging that this Chief Officer, who has reportedly been in office for less than a year, has been verbally instructing contractors to commence works and deliver services without signed contracts, even in cases where the contractors have been procured procedurally,” said EACC.
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After the work and supply of services is completed, she would demand bribes to issue contracts which would form part of the payment documents.
“Failure to give the bribes would see the payment delayed indefinitely,’ said the Commission.
The COE was booked at Kisumu Port Police Station pending investigative sessions at EACC Kisumu Regional Offices.
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EACC Crackdown
The arrest adds to the recent efforts by the anti-graft watchdog to contain runaway corruption among government agencies and institutions.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, January 4, the commission’s spokesperson Eric Ngumi said the Commission had directed individuals with more than one position to resign from the extra ones with immediate effect.
Also, it directed such government officials to refund the salaries and benefits they had earned from the extra positions.
This followed a landmark ruling in a case where a government employee who doubled up as a lecturer at the Jomo Kenyata University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) and a board member at the Kirinyaga County Assembly.