The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested two senior government officials for allegedly soliciting bribes to clear cargo at the Port of Mombasa.
Thomas Kiprotich Karubee, the Head of Verification at the KRA Regional Container Freight Station at the port, and Daniel Kimonge, an Inspections Officer at the Kenya Bureau of Standards(KEBS) were arrested on Thursday.
The antigraft commission said they received a complaint that Kiprotich Karubee had demanded Ksh200,000 to clear and release a shipment container from Scotland.
The shipment contained second-hand household goods and electronics with a declared value of Ksh1,100,000.
“The complainant had paid all taxes due amounting to over Ksh500,000 but the KRA Official insisted that he could not clear and release the container unless the bribe was paid. This prompted the complainant to seek intervention from EACC,” the commission said.
Detectives from the Lower Coast Regional Office set up an operation and nabbed the KRA official while receiving Ksh110,000 as part of the bribe.
“He was arrested together with an Inspections Officer at KEBS who had also solicited and received Ksh20,000 purportedly to return a favourable report and clear the cargo,” EACC added.
