The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested the Bomet County Director of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) for allegedly demanding a bribe to let a local lodge operate without the proper environmental permits.
Samuel Kariuki Ngaanga was picked up in Bomet town after allegedly receiving a Ksh 25,000 bribe from the owner of a lodging facility in Mulot. According to investigators, Kariuki had asked for the money in exchange for turning a blind eye to the lodge’s lack of an Effluent Discharge License and a valid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
The EACC says it received the complaint earlier this week and moved in after verifying the claims through a quick investigation. Officers reportedly caught the suspect in the act as he pocketed the cash.
He was taken to Bomet Police Station where the statement was recorded and processed the arrest. Kariuki was later released on a cash bail of Ksh 30,000 as investigations continue.
The commission says the case is part of ongoing efforts to put to an end on corruption in public offices, especially at the county level where business owners are often pressured to pay bribes to avoid regulatory barriers
