Three suspects arrested over alleged Ksh.92M Turkana County gov't money laundering

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested three suspects over allegations of money laundering involving more than Ksh.92 million linked to the Turkana County government.

In a statement released on Wednesday, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud revealed that Betty Emathe Asimit, a senior assistant community health officer with the Turkana County government; Moses Long'ole Apua, a director of Apuco Holdings Group Limited; and Chosi Nick Nakucho, an employee of Mary's Meals Kenya, are expected to be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Eldoret on Thursday, August 27.

This after EACC investigations established that county officials and their business associates allegedly traded with the county government through companies in which they had interests.

The anti-graft agency said Peter Long'ole Apua and Lilian Akiru Louruka were linked to Apuco Holdings Group Limited and Natiltila Company Limited, respectively.

According to the EACC, the two companies received a combined Ksh.92,058,890.30 from the Turkana County government between the 2013/2014 and 2024/2025 financial years.

Investigators established that Apua, a principal finance officer and Turkana's principal accountant, was a signatory to the bank account of Apuco Holdings Group Limited.

The EACC further alleged that Apua participated in processing and validating payments made to the company, which received Ksh.62,047,757.30 from the county government.

In a separate inquiry, the commission said Louruka, a county employee and director of Natiltila Company Limited, allegedly used the company to secure five contracts from the county valued at Ksh.30,011,133.

The EACC said investigations also revealed that money paid to the two companies was later withdrawn in cash in transactions suspected to have been intended to conceal the movement of the funds and their ultimate beneficiaries.

Upon completing its investigations, the commission forwarded the inquiry files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who approved the prosecution of eight public officials, companies and company directors.

Aside from the three arrests, the commission directed the five other suspects to report to its North Rift Regional Office in Eldoret or the nearest EACC office for processing.

They include Peter Long’ole Apua, Christopher Imuron Apua, Nicholas Lotit Korobe, Julius Ayapan Adir and Louruka.

The suspects are expected to face charges including conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property, money laundering and dealing with proceeds of crime.