Kilifi county protests arrest of her officers by EACC

Kilifi county government has protested the manner her officers were arrested by EACC officers on Wednesday.

The county government is blaming the EACC officers for putting the lives of the officers at risk by breaching covid-19 protocols during the arrest.

According to a letter from the county executive committee member for health Dr. Anisa Omar to Kilifi county commissioner Magu Mutindika, the county wants all officers involved in the arrest to proceed on a 14 days self-quarantine.

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Dr. Anisa said the officers were put in an overcrowded vehicle against the covid-19 protocols on social distancing.

The CEC said all the arrested officers will have to undergo the mandatory quarantine after their release.

On Wednesday, EACC arrested Kilifi county secretary Arnold Mkare, Public health chief officer Alio Ibrahim and Medical services chief officer Bilal Madzoya.

They were arrested on suspected financial irregularities on the construction of the Kilifi county medical complex.

EACC accused the officers for failing to furnish the commission with relevant documents to aid them in their investigations.

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The detectives wanted to be furnished with all the documents in relation to the construction of the covid-19 medical complex, procurement of ward beds for the complex, procurement of ICU beds for the complex and procurements of ventilators for the complex.

The letter is dated May 11. The letter written by Wekesa on behalf of EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mubarak demanded over 30 documents.

Kilifi governor Amason Kingi scolded EACC for breaching the protocols and also breaching the Anti-corruption and economic crimes act of 2003.

Kingi said EACC was to give the county ample time to avail the documents.

“Article 27 sub section 3 of the Act clearly stipulates that the Commission may by notice in writing require any person to provide, within a reasonable time specified in the notice, any information or documents in the person’s possession that relate to a person suspected of corruption or economic crime. We were not given reasonable time to produce the documents,” said Kingi

Kingi said the county cannot produce payment vouchers as there is no supplier who has been paid for the supply of beds and ventilators to the covid-19 isolation centre.

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“We are yet to use a coin of the Ksh 220 million we set aside to fight covid-19. How do we produce vouchers for funds not paid?” asked Kingi

Kingi said he is not against the investigation but demanded that the right procedures are followed.

“The procedure has always been they bring us a notice of about seven days with the documents they need then we photocopy the documents, paginate them, do an inventory and all the documents are countersigned by both the county government and the EACC,” said Kingi

All the officers were released on bond as investigations are ongoing