Two officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) have been arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives at the Mombasa port for soliciting a bribe of Ksh200,000.
Thomas Kiprotich Karubee, who heads verification by KRA at the Regional Container Freight station, and Daniel Kimonge, an Inspections officer at KBS, were arrested following a complaint lodged against them on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.
The said container which Karubee was soliciting a bribe for its clearance was holding second-hand household goods and electronics with a declared value of Ksh1,100,000
The complainant had paid all taxes due amounting to over Ksh500,000, but the KRA official insisted that he could not clear and release the container unless the bribe was paid.
This prompted the complainant to seek intervention from EACC and it was during the arrest, that they also arrested the inspections officer from KBS as he had also received a bribe.
“EACC detectives from the lower coast regional office arrested the officer after receiving Ksh110,000 as part of the bribe. He was arrested together with Daniel Kimonge an Inspection officer, at the Kenya Bureau of Standards who had also solicited and received Ksh20,000 purportedly to return a favourable report and clear the cargo,” EACC said in a statement.
The duo was escorted to EACC Offices in Mombasa for processing to be dealt with in accordance with the law.
According to the regulations, it is immoral for officers at the port to solicit or demand bribes to release imported cargo.
The anti-corruption commission has promised to monitor operations at all points of entry to ensure the law is followed.
“The Commission urges any person with information on such incidents to immediately make a report to EACC for interventions. We will continue to monitor operations at all points of entry and hold any culpable person to account,” EACC added.
