The Ethics and Anti-Corruption office (EACC) has arrested a Senior Principal Magistrate working at Kangema Law Courts and a Principal Probation Officer over allegations soliciting and receiving bribe from a litigant in exchange for changing the outcome of a criminal case.
The suspect, Hon. Martin Kinyua Mutegi, a senior Principal Magistrate and Probation Officer Julius Irungu Njogu. They were arrested on July 21 2026, through an operation at a restaurant in Kangema Township.
EACC said the incident happened after a businessman from Murang’a County, who was convicted on7/02/26 for defrauding, made a complaint. The complainant was due to be sentenced on July 22, 2026.
Preliminary report reveals that the probation officer contacted the complainant pretending he was the magistrate’s representative. The man reportedly wanted to pay the victim KSh 170, 000 and promised a good probation report if the latter paid him which, as a result, the person will receive lenient sentence and not go to prison.
The anti-graft agency mounted a sting operation that culminated in the arrest of the two suspects while allegedly receiving KSh150,000 from the complainant.
Held up at Nyeri central police house, the suspects are expected to be examined in EACC Central Region Office before other legal procedures.
