Garissa chief, Abdirahman Shafe Yussuf has been arrested by the Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The local chief of Bulla Mzuri is accused of collecting Ksh 139,000 bribe from refugees seeking services from his office.
“Abdirahman was caught in the act during an operation mounted by EACC Garissa Regional Office following an inquiry into the numerous complaints from victims,” noted the EACC.
On Tuesday, May 28th, 2024, EACC issued a statement noting that the chief is facing charges for allegedly extorting money from the refugees.
Before the EACC’s involvement, individuals seeking services were compelled to pay unauthorized fees to the chief’s associate, stationed inside a white Probox with registration number KCY 656W parked near vetting hall. Payment was obligatory to initiate processing.
In the course of the operation, the Commission seized Ksh139,000 from the chief, suspected to be part of the day’s earnings, along with a roster of 85 applicants registered twice, each with record payment amounts.
“He allegedly demands every service seeker to pay Ksh3000 as a consultation fee and an additional Ksh 10,000 facilitation fee, despite the service fee being free of charge,” said the EACC statement.
The chief has reportedly garnered notoriety for this consistent demands for bribes, particularly amidst the ongoing process of de-registering fingerprints from the UNHCR system, a situation that has raised significant concerns regarding the integrity and fairness of the entire registration procedure.
After being processed at the EACC Garissa Regional Officer, the suspect was granted release on police bond while the investigation reaches its conclusion.
Apart from the arrest in Garissa, EACC has been diligently pursuing individuals implicated in corrupt activities across diverse sectors.
Recent arrests span officials from government agencies, private enterprises, and other public institutions, accused of offences ranging from embezzlement to bribery.
