The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is compiling evidence about the loss of Sh50 million through parallel liquor licensing in Kisii county.
The commission is also investigating irregular recruitment of about 1,000 enforcement officers and more than 50 employees in the Nyamira county Gender and Social Services department.
An EACC officer yesterday told the Star the investigations are advanced and those complicit will be charged.
Two weeks ago, detectives ransacked Kiii Trade chief officer John Obwocha’s office and his Sh20 million home in Mosocho for more evidence.
EACC Nyanza regional deputy director Abraham Kemboi yesterday said they are carrying out a thorough probe because the scandal involves another sector.
“We have new leads into the Kisii Sh50 million parallel liquor licensing scandal. We won’t leave any stone unturned,” he said on the phone.
On February 8, the commission questioned Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama over irregular hiring of enforcement officers and those in the Social Services department.
The commission said a few months ago, Senator Mong’are Okong’o threatened to sue over irregular hiring.
A detective on the probe team, who sought anonymity, yesterday told The Star that officials close to Nyagarama employed their relatives and solicited bribes from those unconnected with the governor so they could be hired.
Some of the 1,000 enforcement officers have not been deployed to date because the county lacks capacity to absorb them, the detective said.
He said the recruitment had serious implications for county funds and the ballooning wage bill.
The officer said the Nyamira leadership has unsuccessfully tried to stop malpractices. The EACC officer said they will analyse the evidence and recommend action. He said they have questioned individuals, including the Gender CEC. The officer said preliminary investigations indicate that the County Public Service Board and the CEC played a key role during the irregular hiring. “We’re almost through with our investigations into the two irregular recruitment exercises. We’ve interrogated senior officers including the ECM over the same,” he said.