Five senior officials of the State Department for Correctional Services were arrested on Thursday by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over the alleged theft of Sh450,138,000 public funds.

"The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has today arrested five (5) out of thirteen (13) suspects to be charged with various offences relating to embezzlement of public funds amounting to Sh450,138,000 at the State Department for Correctional Services," EACC said.

The suspects are accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme involving the supply of food and rations to various prison facilities between 2016 and 2018.

Seventeen companies linked to the officials are said to have been awarded tenders for the purported supply of goods that were never delivered.

Those in custody are Chief Finance Officer Sarah Kemunto Kerandi, Principal Accountant Moses Juma Sirengo, Accountant Jack Nyariango Ogao, and directors of implicated companies, Maureen Ndungwa and Eric Kipkirui Mutai.

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EACC has issued a warrant of arrest for eight other individuals involved in the scandal, including former Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Benjamin Njoga.

The commission has ordered the suspects to surrender themselves at the nearest EACC office by Friday morning.

The arrested officials are currently being processed at the EACC Integrity Center Police Station and will be arraigned before the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on Friday.

A cleaner at the State Department for Correctional Services, Eric Kipkirui Mutai, is alleged to be a director of seven companies that collectively received over Sh257 million of the stolen funds.

His role in the scheme is under investigation.

The Commission has vowed to pursue all those involved in the theft of public funds and assured Kenyans of its commitment to combating corruption.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer Abdi A. Mohamud urged the public to support the commission's efforts in bringing perpetrators to justice.