NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 3 — Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested Nyamira County Assembly Clerk Duke Simeon Onyari over allegations of corruption and the suspected loss of Sh30 million linked to the construction of the County Assembly office block.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the anti-graft agency said the arrest followed investigations into alleged procurement irregularities in the award of a tender for the construction project.
According to the EACC, the contract was awarded to Jetta Builders Limited in contravention of public procurement laws, resulting in the suspected loss of Sh30 million in public funds.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Duke Simeon Onyari, Clerk of the Nyamira County Assembly, over alleged corruption and the loss of Sh30 million in the construction of the Nyamira County Assembly office block,” the Commission said.
Investigators established that the alleged irregularities relate to the award of the construction contract to Jetta Builders Limited, with the procurement process reportedly failing to comply with legal requirements governing public tenders.
The arrest marks the latest step in the Commission’s efforts to hold public officials accountable for the misuse of public resources and breaches of procurement regulations.
EACC said investigations are ongoing and warned that more individuals could be implicated in the matter.
“The Commission is pursuing other suspects believed to be linked to the case,” it stated.
The anti-corruption agency did not immediately disclose further details regarding the alleged procurement violations or indicate whether Onyari had been formally charged in court.
If charged, the case is expected to add to a growing list of corruption-related prosecutions involving county governments and public procurement processes across the country.
