September 25, 1978: Two former officers in the Attorney-General’s Chambers are jailed for five years each by a Nairobi court for corruptly receiving 7,000/= from a widow. Mr. Samuel Gitau, 33,(right) an executive officer and Samuel Nderi,(Left) 30, an assistant executive officer, admitted the charge before Chief Magistrate Mr. Fidahussein Abdullah. They were accused that on September 22, in Nairobi, they corruptly received 7,000/= from Mrs. Gladys Adhiambo Polo as an inducement to release 53,000/- from the estate of her husband, Mr. Tony Polo, who died in a road accident three years ago. The court was told the 53,000/= was intended as a deposit to buy a house for Mrs. Polo and her three-year-old daughter. Mr. Abdullah said corruption was a corrosive disease . It ate away the health of any organisation, especially the Civil Service whose officers were servants of the people, “Corruption not only impairs the efficiency and integrity of the service but also destroys the confidence of the public in public servants,” he said. Mr. Abdullah said whenever public servants were brought to court deterrent sentences must be given, “It is a matter of regret that while President Moi’s call to stamp out corruption was ringing in the ears of wananchi the two accused were flouting the very message of the President” he said.

Photo|Nation Syndication