The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Khambi Katana Khambi, the Malindi Sub-County National Treasury Officer, who is accused of selling dubious operating licenses to unsuspecting business people.

According to an EACC source familiar with the case, the suspect created a fake licence dubbed "Licence to Store Petroleum in an Underground Kerbside," claiming it was a genuine requirement for business people imposed by the Treasury.

During a raid at the county treasury offices on Friday, detectives discovered several booklets of the alleged non-existent permit.

"Similar booklets were also seized from his house," an insider at EACC said.

The Kenyan Treasury does not issue such licenses and does not require them of business owners.

The EACC launched an investigation into the official after a report was filed at its office by a businessman who went to the Malindi Town Treasury office to renew a few business permits.

One of the permits he wanted to renew was the non-existent "License to Store Petroleum in an Underground Kerbside," which the official in custody issued for Ksh. 10,000.

"When the complainant visited Treasury offices in Malindi where the other permits were earlier renewed, the officers who attended to him, this time, informed him that no such licence is issued by the Treasury," an EACC insider told Citizen.Digital

"This made him doubt the already expired licence which had been sold to him by a Treasury Official in that office," 

EACC detectives swung into action after the matter was reported and arrested the Treasury official, with the raid at his house leading to the discovery of the said dubious permits. 

The suspect was held at the EACC Malindi offices pending further investigation.