By Grace Gilo
Gadiel Maganga, the Clerk of Taita Taveta County Assembly, was apprehended today by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
His arrest came after the High Court in Voi dismissed a case filed by Maganga against the EACC and ODPP, in an attempt to prevent his arrest and prosecution for fraudulent expenses incurred during a bonding trip to Zanzibar in 2022, which involved 21 MCAs.
On the 25th of April 2024, Justice George Dulu declined to grant the orders requested by Gadiel, thereby paving the way for his prosecution.
“The Clerk faces graft charges alongside the Deputy Speaker Mwadime Chao who has since pleaded not guilty to charges,” said EACC.
The clerk has been arrested and is being escorted to the EACC Mombasa Regional Offices for processing pending arraignment.
EACC has revealed that the County Assembly utilized forged documents to account for the fraudulent expenditure.
“The County Assembly used forged documents to account for the fraudulent expenditure. The officials were overpaid while some of those who received allowances did not travel,” wrote the EACC.
The Commission’s investigations have determined that a total of Kes. 17 million was spent on the trip, with Kes. 9 million directly paid to the organizers for logistics and Kes. 8 million paid as imprest to 30 officials, including the 21 MCAs.