Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe Arrested over Sh11.3 Billion Scandal

Agriculture Principal Secretarye Richard Lesiyampe has become the latest senior government official to be arrested in the ongoing purge on corruption.

Lesiyampe was arrested on Thursday morning by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over Sh11.3 billion maize scandal at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).

The Principal Secretary was apprehended alongside National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) General Finance Manager Cornel Kiprotich Ng’elechey and five others. The suspects are being held at EACC Police Station at Integrity Centre in Nairobi awaiting their arraignment in court.

"EACC has this morning arrested the PS Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Richard Lesiyampe and NCPB GM Finance, Cornel Kiprotich Ng'elechey on allegations of irregular purchase of maize at the NCPB. 15 other senior officials and prominent traders being sought," EACC said in a tweet.

The officers were arrested over irregular purchase of maize by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) worth Sh11.3 billion. They were arrested following orders by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji.

“The PS irregularly authorised the expenditure and failed to ensure that the purchase was done in accordance with the law,” reads the statement from the DPP.