• The Commission said the official had been deployed to Kariobangi Slaughter House as a meat inspector.
• “The Commission also recovered additional Sh24,000 which the suspect had received from another trader,” EACC said in a statement.
EACC detectives have arrested a Nairobi County official for allegedly demanding a Sh15,000 bribe from a client to inspect his slaughtered goats.
The Commission said the official had been deployed to Kariobangi Slaughter House as a meat inspector.
EACC said the officer was arrested on Tuesday and held overnight at the Kilimani Police Station before being processed on Wednesday ahead of his arraignment upon completion of investigations.
“The Commission also recovered an additional Sh24,000 which the suspect had received from another trader,” EACC said in a statement.
According to the anti-graft body, the suspect in custody is part of a wider network of meat inspectors in Nairobi County who have been extorting money from traders running into millions.
“They are further accused of asking meat traders not to make payment of all fees payable through the designated Government Pay Bill but only deposit a small portion and hand over the rest of the amount in cash to the Inspection Officers,” the Commission said.
In the latest incident, however, the trader refused to succumb to the extortion and filed a complaint with the EACC leading to investigations that eventually led to the arrest of the officer.
According to the Nairobi City County Inspectorate Act, 2017, the laws on anti-corruption, the Public Officers Ethics Act, 2003, the Leadership and Integrity Act and other relevant laws shall apply to all members of the Inspectorate.
It says an inspectorate officer on duty may stop any person whom the officers witnesses doing or suspects of doing any act in contravention of anything for which a permit, license, certificate or pass has not been issued.
“An Inspectorate officer who abuses the powers under this section commits an offence,” the law states.
The Directorate of Veterinary Services is the main regulator in Kenya on matters concerning the safety of meat at slaughterhouses.
The Director of Veterinary Services appoints meat inspectors and veterinary officers who are responsible for ascertaining the safety of meat and meat products from the slaughterhouses.
Meat is inspected for two main reasons; aesthetic and Public health reasons.
Inspection for aesthetics seeks to ensure the meat is presentable to the buyer; it is processed to ensure it is clean and free from any unwanted matter.
Inspection for public health reasons is done to prevent humans from Zoonotic diseases - diseases transmitted from animals to man and vice versa.