Josphat Kabeabea, the Chairperson of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) Board, was arrested by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Friday, November 14, over allegations that he solicited bribes totaling millions of shillings.
The arrest follows claims that Kabeabea demanded Ksh15 million from various companies under threat of accusing them of selling counterfeit goods.
According to the EACC, the latest alleged bribe involved a Chinese business owner. Kabeabea reportedly initially demanded Ksh5 million on November 11.
When the demand was rejected, he allegedly lowered the amount multiple times, first to Ksh1 million, then Ksh300,000, and finally settled on Ksh150,000.
The money was allegedly directed to a phone number registered under his driver’s name, as the foreign national did not have cash on hand.
CCTV footage confirms Kabeabea visited the company’s premises on both November 10 and 11, according to EACC investigators.
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In a separate incident last October, Kabeabea allegedly solicited Ksh10 million from another company, receiving Ksh8 million following threats of legal action over counterfeit claims.
Kabeabea is a former Tigania East MP (2017–2022) and was previously a member of Parliament’s Departmental Committee on Lands. He returned to the public scene in February 2023 when President William Ruto appointed him ACA Chair.
This latest crackdown by the EACC comes just a week after a high-profile raid on senior officials at the State Department for Sports, probing allegations of embezzlement worth Ksh3.8 billion during the 2020/2021 and 2025/2026 financial years.
The multi-county operation, covering Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Nyeri, and Nanyuki, led to the recovery of Ksh3.58 million in cash, title deeds, and luxury vehicles, highlighting widespread corruption concerns in public offices.
The EACC has indicated that further charges and investigations are expected as part of ongoing efforts to root out abuse of office and unlawful acquisition of public property.
By Kenyans