Senior Siaya County official arrested for embezzling over Ksh.100M

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have nabbed a senior Siaya County Government official accused of embezzling more than Ksh.100 million through fraudulent allowances.

EACC says the suspect, Hezron Junior Opiyo, alias Hezron Opiyo, who works as an accountant at the Department of Finance and Economic Planning, was arrested on Tuesday after investigations linked him to ghost payments disguised as allowances for training and other official engagements which were never paid.

According to the Commission, the arrest stems from a wider probe into the alleged embezzlement of approximately Ksh.400 million by several Siaya County officials.

Following the arrest, the suspect was detained at Kisumu Port Police Station and is expected to be arraigned before the Kisumu Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

EACC notes that alongside the criminal proceedings, it has initiated civil recovery of Ksh.102,950,307, plus accrued interest, believed to have been illegally obtained by the suspect.

While reaffirming its commitment to end graft, the Commission said it is also pursuing seven other cases involving fraudulent payment of allowances to Siaya County officials, amounting to more than Ksh.700 million between 2017 and 2022.