A clearance agent has been fined Ksh. 3 million or, in default, will serve multiple prison terms after being found guilty of soliciting a bribe from church officials in a case that has drawn public attention due to its involvement of religious institutions.
The agent, identified as Philip Mutua Kilonzo, was convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi on two counts: soliciting a bribe and obtaining money through false pretenses. The case revolved around events that occurred in October 2020, during which Kilonzo is said to have approached officials from the United African Evangelical Ministry and Grace Children’s Home with an offer to influence officials at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
According to court findings, on October 4, 2020, Kilonzo demanded a bribe of Ksh. 2.9 million from the church officials. He allegedly claimed he had the capacity to persuade the KRA to waive the organizations’ alleged tax obligations, a promise he could not fulfill. The court further established that between October 3 and October 8, 2020, Kilonzo made repeated demands for the same bribe amount from the same church officials, solidifying the pattern of fraudulent conduct.
The sentencing was delivered by Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore, who ruled that Kilonzo would pay a fine of Ksh. 1.5 million or serve two years in prison for the initial solicitation of the bribe. Additionally, he was fined another Ksh. 1.5 million for persistently demanding the bribe during that period. The court emphasized the repeated nature of the offense and the deliberate attempt to extort money from religious organizations under the guise of providing legal or procedural help.
In a separate count, Kilonzo was fined Ksh. 50,000 or, in default, will serve an eight-month prison term for obtaining Ksh. 20,000 by false pretenses. The incident, which occurred on October 1, 2020, involved him convincing church officials to give him the amount for what he claimed were travel expenses from Busia to Nairobi. He said the funds were necessary for him to attend a meeting with KRA officials purportedly aimed at resolving the tax issues facing Grace Children’s Home.
The magistrate noted that all sentences would be served consecutively. This means Kilonzo will have to pay the full Ksh. 3 million fine or serve the combined jail terms, which amount to more than two and a half years in total. The ruling was seen as a stern message against corruption, especially where it involves vulnerable institutions such as faith-based and charitable organizations.
During the trial, the prosecution successfully argued that Kilonzo had abused the trust that the church officials placed in him. By pretending to have influence over KRA operations, he manipulated individuals working in religious and charitable contexts, likely assuming their trustworthiness and lack of legal experience would make them easy targets.
Kilonzo is currently in custody as the legal process continues, pending his decision to either settle the fines imposed or serve the full term of imprisonment. The case has sparked conversations about the need for greater accountability and vigilance when dealing with intermediaries claiming to have influence over government processes, especially when such claims affect non-profit and religious institutions.
