NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 1 – 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.
“Godwins Otieno Agutu, Alex Mutua Mutuku and Ken Gichovi Kimathi alongside three others who are still at large stormed the victim’s offices within Nairobi on 26th September 2020, after which they took his laptop and left,” DCI stated.
“The suspects appeared again on 29th September 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 House along Nyerere road,” DCI added.
According to DCI, the suspects also forced the victim to obtain funds from his family members who managed to raise Sh500,000.
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.
