The High Court in Nairobi has frozen over Sh 58 million belonging to a senior manager at Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) on suspicion that the money could be proceeds of crime.
Justice Esther N. Maina issued the order after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission filed an application to freeze the accounts for a period of six months to allow them to complete investigations.
The respondent Peter Maina Njehia, is suspected to have illegally and irregularly influenced tenders, procurement and payment of goods and services while serving as a senior manager, supply chain at Ketraco.
The court blocked Njehia from transferring or withdrawing money including Sh 13,557,385 which is being held as share capital at stima sacco ltd, Sh11,913,750 being held as deposit at Alpa, stima sacco, Sh10 million held in the shares account among others held in the name of Peter Njehia.
Prior to the orders, the EACC obtained a warrant to investigate Njehia’s bank accounts and search his premises.
“There is a need to preserve the funds and freeze the account for a period of six months pending the conclusion of investigations and institution of recovery proceedings,” the commission submitted.
The court heard that preliminary investigations have raised reasonable suspicion that considering the respondent’s salary, large and frequent deposits into his bank accounts, shares and deposits in his SACCO account are disproportionate to his legitimate known sources of income and could have been obtained through corrupt conduct.
“It is now evident through preliminary investigations that the respondent is in possession of unexplained wealth which is not commensurate with his known legitimate sources of income and specifically his salary as a public officer,” argues EACC.
The Commission is currently investigating Njehia’s close family members, including his spouse Julie Hellen Matu together with companies and properties associated with them and whom are suspected that Njehia could have channeled proceeds of corruption to their bank, SACCO and investment accounts and the Commission shall be filing an application seeking to freeze their accounts and properties in due course.
