The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Nyamira County Assembly has threatened to freeze accounts and assets of people under investigations over corruption.
Speaking in his Nyamira office on Tuesday, committee chair Ezra Mochiemo said the committee has settled on freezing the accounts and assets of people under corruption investigations as provided in the law.
He said the move will enable the committee rely on material evidence and lock out external forces from acting in speed to 'save' those under probe.
"Individuals who are currently under investigations by the committee will have they accounts frozen till we conclude independent investigations. Some of them may be tempted to use the freedom to transfer the illegal money that is in their possession to other unknown accounts to quash evidence,” he said.
Mochiemo defended the decision by the committee, saying it does not violate the rights of those under probe.
“I understand that some of them have written to us in protest but the decision is protected by the law. PAC has jurisdiction to do that our standing orders allow because we also act as an investigative agency,” he added.
“The accounts will be opened once we conclude the investigations. Those who will be found culpable will be prosecuted in court,” he said.