The EACC, the Assets Recovery Agency and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are the agencies involved in the pursuit of the assets and cash.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016
Suspended Nairobi County Chief Finance officer Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba at Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices at Integrity Centre on February 13, 2015. He amassed Sh800 million in cash, motor vehicles, buildings and land, which the government is now seeking to recover. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
- Mr Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba’s wealth is half of the Sh1.6 billion that President Uhuru Kenyatta announced in his State of the Nation address that the government intends to seize.
- Most of the individuals suspected to have benefitted from corrupt deals invested their money in property and have lots of cash stashed away in banks, documents submitted to Parliament by President Kenyatta show.
- A huge chunk of the Sh1.6 billion three government agencies is pursuing is in residential houses, plots in high-value areas and Sport Utility Vehicles and in one case, a restaurant on one of Nairobi’s main streets.
A former Nairobi County chief finance officer amassed Sh800 million in cash, motor vehicles, buildings and land, which the government is now seeking to recover.
Mr Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba’s wealth is half of the Sh1.6 billion that President Uhuru Kenyatta announced in his State of the Nation address that the government intends to seize.
Most of the individuals suspected to have benefitted from corrupt deals invested their money in property and have lots of cash stashed away in banks, documents submitted to Parliament by President Kenyatta show.
A huge chunk of the Sh1.6 billion three government agencies is pursuing is in residential houses, plots in high-value areas and Sport Utility Vehicles and in one case, a restaurant on one of Nairobi’s main streets.
AMASSED WEALTH
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which has taken Mr Kiamba to court, says he amassed the wealth between January and November 2014.
The EACC says Mr Kiamba’s two bank accounts with CFC Stanbic Bank were used to transact more than Sh400 million during the period.
Mr Kiamba’s estate, includes two maisonettes in Nairobi South C, a plush town house in Kileleshwa, four apartments in Kilimani and eight plots in Muthaiga, Mavoko and Machakos. He also owns a fleet of six cars.
The EACC believes Mr Kiamba acquired the property through fraudulent deals using his position as City Hall’s chief finance officer.
President Kenyatta submitted the reports to demonstrate the progress the government has made in chasing down the money it has lost to corruption. This was accompanied by a list of the 360 cases of corruption-related offences that the Director of Public Prosecutions is handling.
An analysis of two reports submitted by the President shows that Sh470.1 million is the value of property alleged to have been procured from the proceeds of corruption or irregularly.
The second largest share is Sh327.6 million in cash in various bank accounts, while Sh36.75 million is the value of the mostly high-end vehicles the suspects purchased with the money.
The EACC, the Assets Recovery Agency and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are the agencies involved in the pursuit of the assets and cash.
Among the notable suspects are Ephraim Maina (not the former Mathira MP), Mr Kiamba and Ms Josephine Kabura, a suspect in the looting of the National Youth Service, whose explosive affidavit in a related case caused a stir.
In total, the EACC is pursuing Sh1.2 billion they suspect to be the proceeds of corruption. The two other agencies are going after a mix of property and cash worth Sh398 million.
Mr Maina is involved in a case filed by the EACC at the High Court in Mombasa. His case is summarised as: “An application for conservatory orders on monies belonging to Kenya Ports Authority Retirement Benefits Scheme. The value of the property is Sh280 million.”
Ms Kabura is involved in a case with six others, with the property and cash in question valued at a total Sh189.2 million.
These are a house in Muthaiga North worth Sh45 million, a plot in Thika worth Sh35 million, a house at Rosslyn Estate valued at Sh63.5 million, a Range Rover Vogue worth Sh23.4 million and Eden Times Restaurant on Moi Avenue in Nairobi valued at Sh16 million. There is Sh7 million cash at a Standard Chartered Bank account and Sh204,734 at Old Mutual.
NYS PROCEEDS
Also from the NYS proceeds is Sh88.9 million belonging to Kenrie Limited and others at Family Bank KTDA Branch.
Ms Betty Njoki Mureithi and Ms Jennifer Muthoni Kinoti have Sh45 million of their money at Paramount Bank also frozen. Their company, Blue Star Enterprises, was involved in the NYS saga.
Mr Samuel Wachenje and seven other people also have two properties and three cars that the Asset Recovery Agency is after.
These consist of a maisonette at Kasarani worth Sh21.8 million, a plot in Ruiru worth Sh3.8 million, three Toyota Prados worth a combined Sh13.5 million and Sh10 million in a Family Bank account.
There is also a case where the agency is trying to get hold of Sh79.6 million in an account operated by Ms Charity Wangui. It was transferred to her by M.M. Gitonga and Mr Patrick Ogola, who are both advocates.
Mr Joseph Gikonyo Chege, a Principal Revenue Officer at the Kenya Revenue Authority, is also on the radar of the EACC over Sh10 million. The money has been frozen and the matter is in court.
Mr Absalom Ndori, a prison warder suspected of using his own company to supply provisions to Kenya Prisons, has his Sh6 million frozen and the matter in court.
In Meru, Mbuuri Cattle Dip Self-Help Group is also in trouble. EACC has asked the court to preserve 2.8 hectare of their land, which believed to be public property, valued at Sh5.5 million.
EACC has had more success in foreign cases. It is set to receive Sh525 million from the Jersey authorities recovered from the accounts of former Kenya Power and Lighting Boss Samuel Gichuru and former Finance minister Chris Okemo.
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