Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) sleuths have arrested five National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) officials in Kisumu and Eldoret alongside an Assistant Chief and a trader over the Ksh5.6 maize scandal.
Among those arrested include Renson Kibet Korir, a silo manager in Eldoret, Omutsani Omwayi who is the deputy silo Manager in Kisumu, Laban Momanyi who works as a cashier in Kisumu, Thomas Sang, an extension officer in Soi.
David Korir, an Assistant Chief at Sinonim and Rodney Kimutai, a trader have been arrested in the operation.
The six are believed to be involved Ksh5.6 billion in questionable payments for maize delivered to the NCPB.
Agriculture PS Richard Lesiyampe and NCPB finance manager Cornel Kiprotich Ng’elechey, who had been earlier arrested in connection to the scandal were released on a Ksh3 million cash bail.
The two are facing charges of mismanagement of public property, unauthorised spending of public funds, conspiracy to defraud, abuse of office, neglect of official duty, and fraudulent acquisition of public funds.
EACC is hunting for 15 other officials implicated in the scandal that hit maize farmers hard.
Some of the other wanted officials are NCPB Managing Director Newton Terer, Accounts Clerk Caroline Kipchoge Cherono, Eldoret Silo Manager Renson Kibet Korir, Records Officer, Eldoret Depot, Eric Kipketer Talum and Mr Joseph Kipruto Cheboi, the County Director of Agriculture.
NCPB is accused of spending Ksh11,365,879,918 thereby exceeding the Ksh6 billion budgeted for.
NCPB bought the maize on behalf of the Strategic Food Reserve Oversight Board (SFROB) for two years from October 16, 2016.
“The STROB had budgeted to purchase 2 million bags of maize for financial year 2017/18 at Ksh6 billion. This expenditure was not budgeted for contrary to the law,” said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji in August.
This expenditure, Mr Haji said, failed to ensure that the purchase of maize was done in accordance with the law.