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No special treatment for governors during arrest, EACC chief declares

The anti-graft agency Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak says they will not order “special vehicles or have air-conditioned cells” for the county chiefs or any other high-ranking political leader/CFM NEWS

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 29 – Governors suspected of looting public resources will not be accorded any special treatment during arrests, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has declared.

The anti-graft agency Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak says they will not order “special vehicles or have air-conditioned cells” for the county chiefs or any other high-ranking political leader.

“A criminal suspect is a criminal suspect, no special treatment,” the CEO asserted during an event planned by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions bringing together all criminal justice agencies and members of the clergy on Wednesday morning.

His sentiments was a rejoinder to the Council of Governor’s concerns that that EACC was subjecting governors to “embarrassment” by arresting them in front of cameras and family members.

This was prompted by the recent dawn raid targeting Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s homes in Garden City and Runda Estates before he was bundled into a waiting van and taken to the EACC headquarters for questioning.

Waititu was being grilled over alleged irregular awards for tenders amounting to a whopping Sh588 million, money laundering, conflict of interest among other offences.

“The way Waititu was arrested, being frog matched was so inhumane especially for someone of his stature,” Council of Governors Chairman and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya told a local daily.

“Why can’t they have decency? Just summon the governor, tell him you wish to go to his house for a search instead of all these dramas in front of the media.”

But Mbarak said the trend will not be reversed saying all suspects will have their day in court where they defend their innocence.

EACC is currently investigating several governors who might soon suffer similar fate.

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Speaking during the event, Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said he’s mandated to probe economic crimes the same way he investigates other offences.

DCI Kinoti has lately been on the receiving end from politicians who accuse him of operating beyond his jurisdiction.

For example, the DCI has been publicly criticized over the multi-billion shillings Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.

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