The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arraigned Mr. Evans Agumba Oriato, a Compliance Officer at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), for allegedly soliciting and receiving a KES 500,000 bribe.
Investigations by the EACC revealed that the officer, stationed in Kisumu, solicited the bribe as an inducement to assist Jane Memorial Secondary School in filing tax returns for the years 2016 to 2020.
According to the Commission, the suspect summoned school officials to his office, demanding KES 1 million to resolve alleged filing irregularities. He allegedly received a down payment of KES 500,000, with the balance to be paid upon completion of the process. Persistent demands for the remaining amount led the complainants to report the matter to the EACC Western Regional Office in Kisumu.
Acting on the report, the Commission conducted an operation that resulted in the arrest of Mr. Oriato while receiving KES 250,000. He was processed at the EACC offices and released on a cash bail of KES 100,000 pending further action.
Following the completion of investigations, the case file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved prosecution. On November 12, 2025, Mr. Oriato was summoned, booked at Railways Police Station, Kisumu, and held overnight pending arraignment.
He was charged before the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court with three counts of receiving a bribe, contrary to Section 6(1) as read with Section 18(1) and (2) of the Anti-Bribery Act No. 47 of 2016. The suspect denied the charges and was released on a bond of KES 500,000 with a surety of equal value.
The operation forms part of the government’s ongoing crackdown on bribery in public service delivery, aimed at enhancing transparency and improving access to quality services for all citizens.
By Michelle Ndaga
