- It is an offence under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act to obstruct EACC from carrying out its mandate.
- Mohamud said that EACC will investigate the obstruction incident for a possible recommendation of further charges against the suspect.
There was drama in Lodwar Town, Turkana County when a mob rescued a suspect who had been arrested over corruption-related charges.
Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) had arrested Benson Logiel Lokwang, a former member of the County Executive Committee of Turkana ahead of his arraignment for allegedly forging diploma and degree certificates when the drama broke out.
According to the commission, he was taken into custody at his Lodwar Town home, but as detectives were escorting him to the Lodwar Police Station, they came across a rowdy mob who forcibly freed him.
His freedom was, however, short-lived as the detectives re-arrested him and carted him off to Lodwar Central Police Station.
Here, more officers were mobilized and kept the mob out of the structure.
According to the EACC, a mob broke into the police station where he was being held and yelled for his release.
After processing, he was produced before the Lodwar Law Courts where the Court ordered that he be detained at the Central Police Station in Lodwar pending arraignment before the Lodwar Anti-Corruption Magistrate on Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
“The mob that was earlier obstructing his arrest continued to cause commotion at the court premises seeking to rescue him,” EACC said.
He will be arraigned on Wednesday, November 30.
The ex-CEC allegedly used fake academic credentials to land the CEC position, which prompted the EACC to open an investigation, according to the statement.
He presented himself as having a Chuka University bachelor's degree in both economics and sociology.
He was then the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Infrastructure, Transport and Public Works for Turkana County Government.
Chuka University does not offer a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Sociology course.
The commission also claims that he forged a diploma in business administration that was allegedly obtained from Premise Africa Development Institute.
The EACC claims that despite his enrollment at the institute, there is no evidence that he never showed up for or attended any classes or examinations.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution approved the charges against the man.
On Wednesday, EACC, through Deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud, condemned the acts of the rowdy youth and warned leaders against mobilising supporters to cause chaos whenever they are summoned or arrested by EACC or other law enforcement agencies.
"It is an offence under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act to obstruct EACC from carrying out its mandate," the Deputy CEO warned.
Mohamud said that EACC will investigate the obstruction incident for a possible recommendation of further charges against the suspect.
The suspect is supposed to face four charges including the fraudulent acquisition of public property contrary to section 45 (1) (A) as read with section 48 (1) of the Anti Corruption and Economics Crimes Act 2003 and knowingly using the misleading document to one’s principal.
He will also face charges of providing false information to the EACC and making a document without authority contrary to the Penal Code.