The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured orders from the Bungoma High Court halting the auction of key assets belonging to Matili Technical Training Institute, following revelations that the Sh17 million debt claim used to justify the auction was fraudulent.
Lady Justice Sharif Mwanaisha Said on Thursday suspended the ongoing auction process and barred any transfer of property belonging to the institution, including a motor vehicle from its driving school that had already been sold by the contractor through a public auction.
The interim orders will remain in effect until the EACC’s application to reopen the case is heard and determined.
The Commission told the court that its investigations uncovered that the construction company in question had already been fully paid for works carried out at the institution by 2017. However, in 2020 the company filed a fresh suit and, in January 2024, obtained a judgment awarding it Sh17 million, including alleged interest on a purported outstanding balance of Sh9,071,000.
According to EACC, the claim was based on “fake and fraudulent” documentation that was not presented to the court during the earlier proceedings. The Commission is seeking to have the case reopened, the judgment nullified, and the fraud evidence formally considered.
The auctioneers had already attached essential institutional property, including training equipment, vehicles, power generators, electronic devices, and even student food provisions. EACC warned that the continued auction would cripple the institution and potentially force its closure, disrupting the education of more than 10,000 students.
A ruling on the EACC application will be delivered on 12 February 2026.
Speaking after the stay orders were issued, Matili Technical Training Institute Chief Principal Judith Sande welcomed the development, saying the institution had been under immense pressure as auctioneers moved in on critical teaching and training resources.
“We have received this with a lot of happiness. We truly appreciate the support from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in our pursuit of justice,” she said.
She noted that the driving school vehicle impounded last year had severely affected training schedules, but with the court’s intervention, the institution expects to resume a normal learning program.
Board of Management Chairperson, Prof. Okumu Bigambo, said the attempted auction would have adversely affected learning for more than 15,000 students.
“Imagine an institution with over 15,000 students losing all its vehicles, including buses. The consequences would be devastating,” Prof. Bigambo remarked, calling for swift conclusion of the case.
Both the Principal and the Board Chairperson urged a fast-tracked resolution to protect the institution’s operations and safeguard students’ academic progress.
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