Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a Siaya county government accountant in a probe over alleged disappearance more than Ksh700 millions $ 5.5 million).

EACC Nyanza Regional Manager Abraham Kemboi confirmed the arrest of Hezron Junior Opiyo on Tuesday, saying the suspect was at the centre of a fraudulent scheme in which county officials processed fictitious payments disguised as allowances for official engagements that never took place.

“This arrest is a culmination of investigations undertaken by the commission from 2022, resulting in several enquiry files, eight of them, which are being processed,” he said.

According to Kemboi, the arrest is part of wider investigations targeting multiple officials in the lake basin county.

“Our investigations revealed that slightly over Ksh700 million was siphoned from Siaya County through false claims. Of this, close to Ksh100 million ($772,800)went through the suspect’s account between September 2017 and September 2022,” he said.

The suspect, who works in the department of finance and economic planning, was picked up in Siaya and is being held at Kisumu Port Police Station. He is expected to be arraigned before the Kisumu anti-corruption court on Wednesday to face charges including fraudulent acquisition of public funds and money laundering.

Kemboi said EACC had initiated civil proceedings to recover Ksh102,950,307 ($795,599) illegally obtained by the suspect adding that several other officials who received substantial amounts  were also on the EACC radar.

“We are yet to confirm whether all of them are still working at the county government of Siaya. They will be sanctioned and we will recover the money,” he said.

Kemboi assured the public that EACC remains committed to safeguarding public resources and holding accountable all those entrusted with its management.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Chris Mahandara