EACC Arrests Two Court Staff Over Alleged Bribery
According to EACC, the investigation followed a complaint from a court user who alleged that a magistrate had demanded Ksh50,000 to secure the stay order.
Photo: EACC.
By Robert Mutasi
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested two court employees in Eldoret and Nakuru over separate allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes in connection with court services.
The arrests were made on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following complaints concerning alleged bribery involving court users seeking assistance in two different cases.
In Eldoret, EACC arrested a court assistant attached to a Magistrate’s Court after she was allegedly caught receiving a bribe linked to a land dispute.
The suspect, identified as Linet Okungu, was arrested after allegedly receiving Ksh20,000. The money was reportedly part of a larger amount allegedly sought to facilitate the issuance of a stay order to stop the auction of a parcel of land involved in a case before the court.
According to EACC, the investigation followed a complaint from a court user who alleged that a magistrate had demanded Ksh50,000 to secure the stay order.
The complaint prompted EACC officers to investigate the allegations before arresting Okungu in connection with the alleged transaction.
She was taken to Eldoret Police Station for processing and was later released on a Ksh20,000 cash bail pending the completion of investigations.
EACC said investigations would establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged bribery and determine whether other individuals were involved.
Court process server arrested in Nakuru
In a separate incident in Nakuru, EACC arrested a court process server attached to the Civil Registry at the Nakuru Law Courts.
The suspect, identified as Benard Ngeno, is accused of soliciting and receiving a bribe from a complainant in exchange for securing a convenient mention date for a case.
According to the Commission, Ngeno allegedly sought money from the complainant to influence the scheduling of the court matter.
He was arrested and escorted to the EACC South Rift Regional Office in Nakuru for processing.
Ngeno was later released on a Ksh5,000 cash bail as investigations into the allegations continued.
The two arrests come as EACC steps up efforts to combat bribery and other forms of corruption at public service delivery points.
The Commission has repeatedly called on members of the public to report cases where public officers demand money or other benefits in exchange for services that should be provided through official channels.
EACC said tackling corruption within institutions that serve the public was important in protecting citizens’ rights and improving confidence in public services.
The Commission also stressed the need for public officers to perform their duties in accordance with the law and avoid using their positions for personal gain.
The latest cases have also raised concerns about the potential impact of corruption on access to justice. Court users depend on officials to process documents, schedule cases and facilitate other administrative services without having to make unofficial payments.
EACC said investigations into both cases were still ongoing. The agency will determine the next course of action based on the evidence gathered.
The allegations against Okungu and Ngeno have not been tested in court. Their arrest and release on bail do not amount to a finding of guilt. Both suspects remain innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.
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