EACC raids Nyamira governor's homes over Sh382m graft probe

Anti-Corruption agents on Wednesday raided the homes and offices of Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and four senior county officials in connection with a Sh382 million tender probe.

At dawn, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives stormed Nyaribo’s Karen Hills residence in Nairobi, as part of a simultaneous operation across Nyamira and Kisii counties.

What began as a routine search quickly turned dramatic in Karen when family members confronted journalists who were filming the operation.

Reporters from The Standard Group, who were at the compound to cover the raid, captured footage of items being carted away by investigators, among them a safe box and documents.

However, shortly after the items were loaded into an EACC vehicle, a man and a woman approached the journalists and demanded that they delete the video footage and still photographs, claiming that the filming “infringed on their privacy and was being conducted on private property without consent.”

Taking photos and recording videos of the reporters, they threatened to sue the journalists if the footage was aired.

Despite the protest, the journalists declined to comply, maintaining that the raid was a matter of public interest, given that it involved a public official and a corruption probe authorised by the courts.

All this unfolded as EACC officers and accompanying police officers stood by silently, opting not to intervene in the altercation between the family members and the media team.

The search, which lasted several hours, saw investigators comb through multiple rooms in the lavish, well-manicured residence before leaving with items believed to contain critical information.

According to the EACC, the searches are part of an ongoing investigation into the irregular award of a tender to Spentech Engineering Limited, which allegedly received payments exceeding the value of work done.

“The searches target the recovery of documents and digital evidence linked to the irregular award of a contract to Spentech Engineering Limited,” an EACC officer privy to the probe said.

“Preliminary valuation reports indicate loss of public funds and lack of value for money.”

The anti-graft agency said its investigators are also probing allegations that the governor personally received Sh18 million in irregular payments, including Sh13 million as house allowance reimbursement and Sh5 million in ex gratia claims.

“Investigations are underway into allegations that Governor Nyaribo irregularly authorised payments to himself totalling Sh18 million,” the Commission confirmed, “comprising Sh5 million as ex gratia payment and Sh13 million as house allowance reimbursement.”

The EACC noted that the operation also targeted the offices and residences of Housing Chief Officer Lameck Machuki Nyariki, Roads Executive Peris Mose, Finance CEC Asberth Maobe, and Public Works Chief Officer Josphat Oruru, who have been identified as persons of interest in the alleged graft scheme.

The searches were authorised under a warrant issued by the Chief Magistrate’s Court at Milimani, in which the EACC sought leave to enter and seize evidence from the governor’s homes and offices.

The order signed on October 28, 2025, by a Nairobi anti-corruption magistrate, explicitly authorised EACC investigator Evans Gitonga and other officers to access and recover “documents, sale agreements, jewellery, art, unexplained monies, and electronic devices.”

“Whereas information has been laid before me and on due inquiry thereupon I have been led to believe that the office, business and residential premises of Amos Nyaribo… contain electronic devices, documents, sale agreements, transfers, undertakings, jewelry, art, unexplained monies, safe boxes and things that are necessary for the conduct of an investigation into an offence,” the order reads in part.

The court further directed the EACC to execute the search between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and allowed the use of reasonable force if necessary to gain entry.

 “The Applicant be permitted and/or allowed to carry away any records, documents, computers, flash disks, title deeds, sale agreements, transfers, undertakings, jewellery, any unexplained sum of money and/or other documents necessary for the conduct of investigations,” the order states.

In a supporting affidavit, EACC investigator Gitonga sought to for the search warrants orders saying that the Commission is pursuing multiple inquiries into possible corruption and abuse of office within the Nyamira County Government.

“The Commission is conducting investigations pursuant to Section 11(1)(d) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, 2011 into allegations that officials at the County Government of Nyamira irregularly reimbursed housing allowances to the Governor in the aggregate sum of Ksh 13,000,000 for the financial years 2017/18 to 2021/22,” Gitonga states. 

He added that the EACC is also probing “procurement irregularities, unlawful contract extensions, fraudulent payments for incomplete works, and the payment of irregular ex gratia claims notwithstanding the existence of medical cover.”

Gitonga told the court that preliminary inquiries show the governor “received, directly or indirectly, irregular reimbursements and other benefits totalling Sh15 million and irregular ex gratia payments amounting to Sh5 million.”

 “There is a real and imminent risk that, if a warrant is not granted, the Respondent (Governor Nyaribo) will tamper with, destroy, conceal or alter the said electronic devices, documents and records or otherwise frustrate the course of justice,” he stated.

The affidavit also reveals that investigators believe the governor’s residence and offices may contain key evidence including procurement files, bank statements, payment vouchers, property records, and digital communication.

EACC sources confirmed that the multi-county operation aims to recover “critical evidence to support ongoing corruption and economic crimes investigations” before moving to the next phase of prosecution.

The Commission warned that any person served with the court orders and fails to comply risks imprisonment of up to one year or a fine, as provided under the Penal Notice attached to the search warrants.

Governor Nyaribo, who was elected in 2022 or his lawyers has yet to issue a public statement regarding the raid.

However, county insiders described the searches as tense but peaceful, with officers reportedly spending several hours combing through files and digital devices.

The raid marks the latest in a series of high-profile investigations targeting county executives over procurement and personal benefit claims