EACC freezes Thika Land Registrar’s multi-billion wealth
12:03:2024: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured Orders from the High Court today freezing multi-billion wealth belonging to Thika Land Registrar Felix Mecha Nyakundi for six months.
The Commission suspects the said properties, including 106 prime properties spread across the country and 17 high-end vehicles to be proceeds of corruption, which should be forfeited to the Government.
Issuing the orders from Milimani High Court, Lady Justice Esther Maina also allowed EACC to hold and retain the sum of unexplained cash amounting to Kes4.26 million seized from the suspect during a search operation undertaken by EACC in his homes and offices.
In the application filed on Friday under a Certificate of Urgency, EACC, through its Advocate Pius Nyoike, told the High Court that Nyakundi has accumulated massive wealth that is not commensurate with his known legitimate sources of income and the Commission, therefore, reasonably suspects him of corruption and economic crimes.
According to the documents filed in Court, EACC said that it was reasonably apprehensive that unless the preservation orders are granted, the 106 properties and 17 vehicles discovered through its preliminary investigations were at risk of being transferred, sold, charged or otherwise wasted thereby jeopardizing their recovery.
Justice Maina said in her ruling that she was satisfied that the Commission made a compelling case for grant of the preservation orders pending finalization of the ongoing investigations into allegations of embezzlement of public funds, abuse of office and unexplained wealth.
The Commission contends that based on its preliminary investigations, Nyakundi cannot practically have amassed such wealth through lawful and legitimate means and in the absence of any satisfactory explanation, his accumulated wealth can only be proceeds of corruption hence liable to forfeiture to the Government.
The Orders by Justice Maina prohibit Felix Mecha Nyakundi, implicated family members and associates, whether by themselves or through their agents or servants from selling, transferring, disposing of, wasting, charging or in any other way dealing with the 106 properties and 17 motor vehicles for the next six months.
