Senior KRA Official Arrested At Mombasa Port For Demanding Sh200,000 Bribe

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul, 21 – Sleuths attached to the Ethics And Anti Corruption Commission (EACC)  Thursday arrested Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Head of Verification at the Mombasa Port, Thomas Karubee for allegedly demanding a Sh200,000 bribe in order to release a container from storage.

The EACC’S Lower Coast Regional office in a statement said that the official solicited the bribe despite the owner of the container paying for all the requisite taxes.

“The arrest followed a complaint received at the EACC Offices on July 20, 2022 that Mr. Thomas Kiprotich Karubee was soliciting a bribe of Sh200,000 in order to clear and release a container that had originated from Scotland. The container was holding second-hand household goods and electronics with a declared value of Sh1,100,000,” read a section of the statement.

The complainant said that he had paid all taxes amounting to Sh500,000  but was frustrated at the port from acquiring his goods.

The accused has allegedly already received Sh110,000 s part of the bribe.

“He was arrested together with Mr. Daniel Kimonge an Inspections Officer, at the Kenya Bureau of Standards who had also solicited and received Sh20,000 purportedly to return a favorable report and clear the cargo,”

“It is unacceptable and immoral for officers working at the port to solicit or demand bribes in order to release imported cargo to its owners. EACC will continue to monitor operations at all points of entry and hold any culpable person to account. The Commission urges any person with information on such incidents to immediately make a report to EACC for interventions,” said EACC.

The two are now being detained at the Mombasa EACC offices before being arraigned.