A leading anti-graft crusader who recently shot to the limelight after featuring in a local television news exposé dubbed Covid-19 millionaires which alleged runaway graft at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) has been arrested by DCI detectives in a Sh2 million extortion ring.
Godwins Agutu, who was arrested on Wednesday alongside two other suspects is accused of demanding the sum as a bribe to cover up alleged tax evasion by Hi-tech Enterprise, a local technology company.
The suspects, who will remain in custody until Friday after a Nairobi court allowed detectives to hold them for an additional day to allow further investigations, are said to have impersonated officials from the anti-graft agency EACC.
Police are also seeking three other alleged Kenya Revenue Authority officials who are said to have colluded with Agutu’s ring.
The suspects are also accused of abducting the director of Hi-tech Enterprise using government vehicles assigned to the Judiciary.
Agutu, who runs an NGO named Network Action Against Corruption (NAAC), was also found in possession of several files bearing DCI correspondence letters.
DCI boss George Kinoti said that the three were working with three other people who are still at large.
The three escapees are said to be KRA officers namely; Houdouvia Njoroge, Harrison Ochar and Brian Kimemia.
They used two Prados Reg. Nos. GKB 070B & KCY 280Q and stormed the victim’s offices within Nairobi on September 26, 2020, after which they took his laptop and left.
“The suspects appeared again on Sept 29,2020, demanding the Sh2 million bribe, and when the victim could not raise the amount, they forced him into the GKB vehicle and drove off to Lutheran Hse along Nyerere road,” Kinoti said.
Kinoti said the victim was forced to contact his family members to get the amount, but only managed to raise Sh500,000 where the suspects escorted him to his house at Westlands in Nairobi and took the cash.
“Investigations were launched where the three suspects were nabbed at the said Lutheran House, further establishing that the registration number GKB 070B belonged to a Land Rover Discovery attached to the Judiciary,” he said.
