MCAs Jared Okoth, David Mberia arrested over Sh1m bribery

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives on Friday arrested two members of the Nairobi county assembly on allegations of bribery.

The commission said it arrested Jared Okoth (Mathare North) and David Mberia (Karen), while "Abraham Mwangi of Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course Ward escaped arrest and is being sought"

They allegedly demanded a Sh1 million bribe from the owners of Kiragu Waichahi School, which is in Pumwani Ward of Kamukunji Constituency.

FAVOURABLE REPORT

The three are members of the county's Culture and Social Services Committee, with Mr Njihia as the chairperson.

They are said to have demanded the bribe in order to prepare a favourable report for the assembly, to counter their previous allegation that a private school in Eastleigh was illegal.

Mr Okoth and Mr Mberia were taken to EACC Police Station.

DEMONSTRATION

In 2015, a Nairobi MCA was charged with incitement to violence, malicious damage to property and theft for allegedly mobilising people and leading a demonstration to invade the school and destroy it.

Mr Nelson Masiga Marakalu, then the Eastleigh South Ward Representative, had alleged that the school should have been public but was grabbed by the proprietor who was then the area councillor.

Mr Marakalu was charged with destroying part of a perimeter wall, gate and window at the school and stealing worth more than Sh3 million.

He denied the charges and was released on a Sh200, 000 cash bail or Sh2 million bond.