Court Assistant Arrested in Ksh10,000 Bribery Scandal

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested a court assistant attached to the Mombasa Law Courts over allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe.

In a statement on Wednesday, March 18, EACC said the suspect, Ben Wambua Muthoka, is accused of attempting to interfere with the judicial process by demanding money in exchange for manipulating access to a court file.

"The suspect, Ben Wambua Muthoka, based at the Mombasa Law Courts, allegedly demanded Ksh10,000 from a complainant in exchange for concealing or withholding a court file in which the complainant is an accused in an ongoing criminal matter. The act was intended to delay or frustrate the judicial process," the statement read.

EACC explained that it acted after confirming the allegations through preliminary investigations, which informed the decision to carry out an operation targeting the suspect.

"Upon receipt of the bribery complaint on March 13, 2026, the Commission conducted preliminary investigations that confirmed the bribe demand and subsequently mounted an operation on March 17, 2026, leading to the arrest of the suspect as he received the money," the statement added.

Following the arrest, the suspect was taken into custody and processed at the Commission’s regional office before being detained at a local police station.

"The suspect was taken to the Commission’s Lower Coast Regional Office, Mombasa, for processing and later held overnight at Central Police Station. He has since been released on cash bail of Ksh20,000 pending the conclusion of the investigation," the statement concluded.

This comes weeks after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga ordered the prosecution of Samuel Mugo Kiarie, a prosecutor based at the Makadara Law Courts, over bribery allegations. 

In a statement on Wednesday, March 4, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the DPP issued the directive after reviewing an inquiry file forwarded by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The DPP established that there is sufficient and credible material to charge the Makadara-based prosecutor.

"Upon an independent evaluation of the evidence presented, the DPP has established that there is sufficient and credible evidence to sustain criminal charges against Mr. Kiarie," read the statement in part.

Kiarie will face three counts of receiving a bribe, contrary to Section 6(1) read together with Section 18 of the Bribery Act.

"Consequently, the DPP has approved three counts of receiving a bribe contrary to Section 6(1) as read with Section 18 of the Bribery Act against Mr. Kiarie and directs that the accused be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction to answer to the charges," the ODPP stated.

Further, the DPP emphasized that no individual, regardless of office, rank, or position, is above the law, and the ODPP will not hesitate to take decisive action against any officer who undermines the integrity of the Criminal Justice System.

"The ODPP remains committed to executing its constitutional mandate in accordance with the rule of law, public interest and administration of justice," the statement concluded.