By Nelson Musungu, Busia
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has intensified its crackdown on corruption and misuse of public resources across Western Kenya, marking a new wave of accountability that has seen rogue public officers, land grabbers and fraudulent contractors brought to book.
From Busia to Bungoma, the commission’s efforts are reshaping the governance landscape recovering public land, halting fraudulent deals and pursuing cases of embezzlement in state-owned institutions.
In one of the latest sting operations, five traffic police officers from Busia Police Station were arrested for extorting bribes from motorists along the busy Kisumu–Busia highway.
The officers identified as Corporal Hezron Aburi, Corporal Mary Nabei, PC James Weru, PC Mwakwekwe Nyoka, and PC Aisha Abdullahi  were caught by EACC sleuths demanding money from drivers at a roadblock located five kilometers from Busia Town.
A two-week surveillance operation confirmed that the officers had turned the checkpoint into a “toll station,” collecting bribes instead of enforcing traffic regulations.
The suspects were arrested on Thursday and detained at EACC’s Western Regional Office in Bungoma pending arraignment.
The arrests underline EACC’s resolve to dismantle entrenched corruption networks within the police service and restore integrity in traffic operations.
In Bungoma, the commission successfully recovered a prime half-acre parcel of land next to the Bungoma State Lodge, valued at Ksh35 million, which had been grabbed by a senior banking official, Judy Nekoye.
The land, reserved in 1961 for construction of senior government officers’ houses had been illegally acquired in 2016.
Following a detailed investigation, the Bungoma Environment and Land Court declared all transactions leading to Nekoye’s acquisition fraudulent and ordered her eviction.
EACC’s intervention led to the repossession of the land by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development. Civil society groups hailed the commission’s efforts, terming the recovery a “victory for public accountability.”
“This ruling sends a clear message to individuals misusing their influence to acquire public property for personal gain,” said human rights activist Emmanuel Were, urging EACC to extend investigations to other government lands in the Milimani area and beyond.
In another victory, EACC secured a Bungoma High Court order suspending the auction of Matili Technical Training Institute’s assets.
The auction had been initiated by a construction company claiming a Sh17 million debt for works allegedly done in 2010.
EACC investigations revealed that the claim was fake and that the contractor had already been fully paid by 2017. The company had nonetheless obtained a court judgment in 2020 and began auctioning essential training equipment, vehicles, and food supplies.
Lady Justice Sharif Mwanaisha Said halted the auction and transfer of property, pending determination of EACC’s application to reopen the case.
The commission warned that the fraudulent claim threatened to paralyze learning for over 10,000 students.
Matili TTI Chief Principal, Judith Sande, praised EACC’s intervention, saying the institution was on the verge of collapse. “We have received this decision with great relief. It shows that justice still works for public institutions,” she said.
Meanwhile, a long-running corruption case involving former Nzoia Sugar Company Managing Director, Godfrey Sifuna Wanyonyi and seven other senior officials is nearing conclusion.
The suspects are accused of conspiring to defraud the struggling state-owned miller of Sh11 million between 2015 and 2016 through irregular payments and falsified records.
The prosecution, led by EACC investigators is expected to present its final witnesses including former MD Godfrey Wanyonyi to shed light on the fraudulent transactions.
The Supreme Court recently dismissed an appeal by one of the accused, paving the way for the trial to proceed.
The Nzoia case is part of EACC’s broader effort to address financial mismanagement in public enterprises that has crippled sugar firms in Western Kenya.
