The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Tuesday arrested five Kwale county government officials over graft claims.
Those arrested include a senior county treasury official and his four brothers.
The arrests are in connection with an alleged Sh44.9 million graft involving the misuse of public funds within the county.
The suspect stands accused of orchestrating the misappropriation of public funds with the purported involvement of his siblings.
EACC officials alleged that the suspects are believed to have utilised a family-owned company to facilitate the misuse of public funds, implicating various sectors of the Kwale county government in the process.
The suspects were escorted from the Mombasa Central police station to the Anti-Corruption Court to formally face charges and enter a plea.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution had given a nod for the arrest and prosecution.
Among the arrested are Mongo Mbito Mongo, identified as the County Revenue Officer, Hassan Shilingi Mbito, a driver associated with the Kwale Water and Sewerage Company Limited, Mwaiwe Mongo Mbito, serving as the Kwale County Procurement Officer, and Chindoro Mongo Mbito, who is employed in the Ministry of Health’s Department of Public Health and Professional Standards.
According to reports, the Mbito family members are believed to have utilized a family-owned company to facilitate the embezzlement of public funds, implicating various sectors of the Kwale County Government in the process.
“The current charges relate to 10 contracts fraudulently awarded to the companies; Rome Investments and Chilongola Limited; which were paid exaggerated amounts Sh44,919,341 and Sh4,007,943 respectively. The total amount was distributed to the suspects,” said EACC.
According to the anti-graft body, the fraudulently awarded contracts were for the supply and delivery of sanitation materials, food and ration, general office supplies, and institutional appliances.
Following their apprehension, the suspects were escorted from the Mombasa Central Police Station to the Anti-Corruption Court to formally face charges and enter a plea.
