EACC arrests Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok in probe over county funds misuse

EACC arrests Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok in probe over county funds misuse

He is expected to record a statement at the EACC South Rift Regional Offices in Nakuru.

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok in an ongoing corruption investigation.

Barchok was arrested from his home in Bomet County on Thursday morning.

The second-term governor is facing charges of misuse of county funds and having a conflict of interest.

He is expected to record a statement at the EACC South Rift Regional Offices in Nakuru.

Confirming the arrest, EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud said the Bomet governor was taken by officers alongside eight senior county officials and two contractors over alleged theft of public funds amounting to Sh1.45 billion.

The officials are accused of making fraudulent payments to suppliers and contractors who are also senior county employees for services and projects that were never delivered.

Abdi said the commission conducted a coordinated operation on Thursday in various locations linked to the suspects in Nairobi and Bomet counties.

The raids, carried out under court orders, yielded crucial evidence that will support the ongoing investigation.

“Governor Barchok has been escorted to the Commission’s South Rift Regional Offices in Nakuru for further processing,” Abdi said.

According to the EACC, the commission remains committed to holding accountable those involved in misusing public funds.

“We will continue to enforce the law against all persons engaging in theft of public funds,” Abdi stated.

The investigation focuses on payments made to county insiders for ghost projects, raising serious concerns about governance and accountability in Bomet County.

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