The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured a court order compelling former Homa Bay County Assembly clerk Bob Kephas Otieno and two others to repay Sh12.57 million in public funds fraudulently paid out between 2015 and 2017.
In a judgment delivered on October 16, 2026, Justice Benjamin Musyoki ruled in favour of the commission, finding that payments made to Lillian Achieng and David Obonyo as salaries were fraudulent and unlawful.
The case followed investigations into irregular transfers from the county assembly’s salary suspense account to a joint bank account held by Achieng and Obonyo.
The EACC said Otieno authorised the transfer of Sh12,571,166.50 to the account between December 24, 2015 and December 22, 2017, despite neither recipient being employed by the county assembly or the county government.
Investigations established that Achieng was a teacher employed by the Teachers Service Commission, while Obonyo worked as the business growth and development manager at Equity Bank’s Homa Bay branch during the period under investigation.
The commission also found that neither recipient was a supplier or contractor to the county government or assembly.
According to the EACC, the money was transferred in varying amounts on irregular dates, a pattern inconsistent with normal salary payments.
The commission subsequently filed a recovery suit, ACEC Suit No. E011 of 2022, seeking to recover the funds.
In its ruling, the court found Otieno liable for causing the loss of public funds through corrupt and fraudulent conduct.
Achieng and Obonyo were also found liable for fraudulently receiving public money for work not done or services not rendered.
The EACC said the recovery order was part of its efforts to protect public resources and hold those responsible for their loss or misappropriation to account.
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