Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua has accused the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) of abusing power during the arrest of former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
In a statement on Thursday, August 24, Karua said she was barred together with other lawyers from accessing Oparanya after he was detained at the EACC offices.
The Azimio principal claimed that EACC officials dictated who could access the former Kakamega Governor adding that it was unlawful.
“You behaved in an opaque manner and abused power in his arrest and detention. You barred us as lawyers from accessing Wycliffe Oparanya at your offices and dictated who could or could not access him thus violating the law. As public officers, you are required to operate within the law,” she stated.
Oparanya was arrested on Wednesday alongside his two wives to answer questions related to graft during his tenure as the Kakamega governor.
EACC in a statement after the arrest noted that Oparanya is linked to embezzlement of Ksh 1.3 billion from Kakamega County during his reign.
The commission also pointed out that the county funds were looted through proxies and associates of the former governor.
“Following increasing media inquiries, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) wishes to confirm that today, Wednesday, 23rd August 2023, the Commission conducted a successful search on various targets as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of embezzlement of public funds amounting to over Kes. 1.3 billion from Kakamega County during the reign of former Governor, Wycliffe Oparanya, and where it was found that public funds were unlawfully acquired through proxies and associates,” EACC stated.
