A clearing agent jailed for bribery

04:04:2024: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) welcomes the conviction and sentence of Philip Mutua Kilonzo, a clearing agent, for bribery and obtaining money by false pretense.

Kilonzo was, on April 2, 2025, found guilty of soliciting and receiving a bribe and obtaining money by false pretense and sentenced to two years imprisonment or a fine of Kes3.05 million.

An investigation conducted by EACC revealed that Mr. Kilonzo facilitated the clearance of a cargo container for Grace Children’s Home, an orphanage affiliated with the African Evangelical Church Ministries in Kangundo, Machakos County, in 2020. The container had all customs duty duly paid.

However, in October of the same year, he falsely claimed that the church had an outstanding customs duty and demanded a bribe of Kes 5.8 million to have the debt “written off” by KRA officials. The bribe was later negotiated to Kes 2.9 million.

Further investigation revealed that on October 1, 2020, Kilonzo received Kes 20,000 from a Church official, falsely presenting it as travel expenses for a supposed trip from Busia to Nairobi, where he claimed to resolve the tax dispute between the Church and KRA.

Kilonzo was arrested and arraigned on May 14, 2024, following the Director of Public Prosecutions’ concurrence with the EACC’s recommendation to prefer charges under the Anti-Bribery Act and Penal Code.

Milimani Anti-corruption Court Principal Magistrate Hon. Celestine Okore yesterday, April 2, 2025, sentenced Mr. Kilonzo to two years imprisonment or a fine of Kes 1.5 million for the first two counts of bribery, and eight months imprisonment or a fine of Kes 50,000 for obtaining money by false pretense. The sentences will run concurrently.