25 Trans Nzoia MCAs arrested over graft claims

Twenty-five Members of County Assembly in Trans Nzoia County were on Monday been arrested by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over allegations of misappropriation of public funds.

The 26 are among 39 MCA’s that are said to have claimed Ksh47,000 each in 2014 as imprest for travelling to Nairobi to collect the body of a deceased colleague.

The speaker of the county assembly and the other MCA’s have gone into hiding and are suspected to have sought refuge in Uganda.

According to EACC Deputy Director in North Rift Region, Mr Enock Otiko, by the time the MCA’s claimed the money to go to Nairobi on the 15th of September, the body of the late Ronald Matongolo had already been ferried to Kitale on the 9th of September, hence they did not travel to Nairobi.

He, however, remained optimistic over the arrests of the fugitives.

“A manhunt for the remaining MCA’s is ongoing and it is believed some have escaped to neighbouring Uganda. We are sure that we will arrest them in due course,” he said.

The 26 later in the afternoon took their plea in an Eldoret anti-corruption court where they pleaded not guilty to corruption and abuse of office charges.

Resident Magistrate Harrison Barasa freed them on a bond of Ksh200,000 or a cash bail of  Ksh150,000.

Written by Majanga Michael