Agriculture Principle Secretary Richard Lesiyampe has on Thursday been arrested alongside National Produce and Cereal Board officials.
Among those arrested alongside Mr. Richard is former NCPB Managing Director Newton Terer, NCPB General Manager Cornel Kiprotich Ngelechey and four others who are accused of irregular maize purchase worth Ksh 11.3 billion.
“Further to the arrests of the PS Ministry of Agriculture and the GM Finance NCPB, the Commission has arrested the former Managing Director of NCPB, Newton Terer and four others.” Said EACC on Twitter.
In a separate press statement, EACC they have been investigating allegations of irregular purchase of maize by officials on NCPB from May 2018.
The commission in-charge of the investigations concluded forwarded their finding on 23rd July 2018 to the Director of Public Prosecution who upon review concurred with the recommendations of the commission and on 29th August 2018 he gave consent to the arrest.
The suspects are sixteen in number and the offenses include;
1. Wilful failure to comply with the law relating to procurement.
2. Conspiracy to defraud.
3. Fraudulent acquisition of public funds.
4. Abuse of office.
5. Unauthorized spending of public funds.
6. Neglect of official duty.
The sixteen suspects include public officials and maize traders who are still being sought by EACC.
Those arrested are currently held at EACC police station at Integrity Centre and others at EACC North Rift Office (Eldoret).
They will be arraigned before the anti-corruption court to answer charges.