Immigration Officer Arrested in Mombasa Over Alleged Sh20,000 Passport Bribe
EACC arrests immigration official in Mombasa for allegedly soliciting Sh20,000 to expedite Kenyan passport processing amid ongoing corruption probes.
By John Mtongoi Newsroom
August 21, 2026
2 min read
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has detained an immigration officer in Mombasa on allegations of soliciting a Sh20,000 bribe to fast-track the processing of a Kenyan passport.
The arrest followed a complaint filed at the EACC’s Lower Coast Regional Office, where the official was accused of requesting money to facilitate early fingerprinting and accelerate passport issuance.
Preliminary investigations confirmed that the officer agreed to receive the bribe related to the passport application process. The suspect was subsequently arrested during a coordinated operation and taken to Central Police Station in Mombasa, where they were processed and released on a Sh20,000 cash bail pending further inquiries.
The EACC is continuing investigations to determine the full circumstances of the bribery case and whether additional individuals are implicated.
Context of Corruption in Public Services
This arrest highlights ongoing concerns about corruption in public service delivery, particularly in departments handling essential government documents. The Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025 identified immigration officers as among those associated with relatively high bribe payments, averaging Sh12,102 per incident.
Other public officials with notable bribe averages include magistrates (Sh164,367), land registry officers (Sh17,996), and elected county representatives (Sh13,038).
The EACC’s action underscores efforts to clamp down on corrupt practices within government institutions to improve service delivery and restore public trust.
