The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arraigned Evans Agumba Oriato, a Compliance Officer with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), over allegations that he solicited and received a Ksh 500,000 bribe.
According to EACC investigations, the Kisumu-based officer demanded the money as an inducement to “assist” Jane Memorial Secondary School in filing tax returns for the years 2016 to 2020.
The Commission received a complaint indicating that the officer had summoned school representatives to his office to discuss filing nil returns.
On December 31, 2021, Oriato allegedly demanded Ksh 1 million to resolve purported inconsistencies in the school’s tax filings. He is said to have received a Ksh 500,000 down payment, with the balance expected after he completed the process.
The officer reportedly continued to pressure the complainants for the remaining amount, prompting them to report the matter to EACC’s Western Regional Office in Kisumu.
Acting on the report, EACC conducted a sting operation during which the suspect was arrested while receiving Ksh 250,000. He was processed at the Commission’s offices and later released on a Ksh 100,000 cash bail.
After concluding investigations, EACC forwarded the file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who reviewed the evidence and approved the recommendation to charge the suspect.
Oriato was summoned on November 12, 2025, booked at the Railways Police Station in Kisumu, and held overnight ahead of arraignment.
He was subsequently presented before the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court, where he was charged with three counts of receiving a bribe.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a Ksh 500,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount.
