EACC arrests man posing as County official soliciting a Sh100k bribe

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a man accused of impersonating a senior Nairobi County official and attempting to extort money from an unsuspecting job seeker.

In a statement on Wednesday, the EACC said that the suspect, identified as William Otieno Okoth, had posed as the personal assistant to the Nairobi City County Secretary.

According to the EACC, Mr Okoth demanded a bribe of Sh100,000 from a complainant, claiming that he could secure a job for the complainant's wife as a cleaner in the county government.

“The Commission has arrested one William Otieno Okoth who, while pretending to be the Personal Assistant to the County Secretary of Nairobi City County, demanded a bribe of Sh100,000 from the complainant on the pretext that he would assist the complainant's wife to secure a job as a cleaner in the county government,” EACC said.

Mr Okoth, who claimed to have considerable influence in county affairs, assured the complainant that he would quickly issue a letter of employment once the bribe was paid.

However, the scheme unravelled when the complainant, suspicious of Okoth's demands, reported the matter to the EACC.

The anti-corruption agency then conducted a sting operation that led to Okoth's arrest outside Trattoria Restaurant in Nairobi's Central Business District after he received the requested bribe.

Following his arrest, the suspect was taken to the EACC's Integrity Centre Police Station for processing before being transferred to Kilimani Police Station where he remains in custody for further interrogation.

The EACC has reiterated its commitment to fighting corruption and called on the public to remain vigilant and report any fraudulent activities.