The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured a court order compelling former Homa Bay County Assembly Clerk Bob Kephas Otieno and two others to repay KES12.57 million in public funds fraudulently paid out as salaries between 2015 and 2017.
In a judgment delivered on October 16, 2026, Justice Benjamin Musyoki ruled in favour of the commission, finding that KES12,571,166.50 was unlawfully transferred from the Assembly’s salary suspense account to a joint bank account held by Lillian Achieng and David Obonyo.
Investigations established that Otieno authorised the transfers between December 24, 2015, and December 22, 2017, despite neither recipient being employed by the county government or Assembly.
Achieng was a teacher employed by the Teachers Service Commission, while Obonyo worked as the Business Growth and Development Manager at Equity Bank’s Homa Bay branch. Neither was a supplier or contractor to the county government.
The commission said the transfers were made on irregular dates and involved varying amounts, contradicting the pattern of regular salary payments.
EACC subsequently filed a recovery suit, ACEC Suit No. E011 of 2022, seeking restitution of the funds.
The court found Otieno liable for causing the loss of public money through corrupt and fraudulent conduct. Achieng and Obonyo were also held liable for receiving public funds for work not performed or services not rendered.
EACC said it remains committed to recovering misappropriated public resources and holding those responsible accountable.
