The High Court in Nairobi has frozen two bank accounts with close to Sh 50 million belonging to a woman who is also a beneficiary of controversial Belgian bitcoin billionaire Merc de Mesel.
Jane Wangui Kago is an account holder of two accounts at Equity Bank one with Sh 3,11,800 and another with Euros 355,990.13 (equivalent Sh 45,566,720).
Justice Liz Nzioka has prohibited Kago from withdrawing the money which totals to Sh 48,678,520.
“The respondent, her servants, employees, agents or any other person is prohibited from withdrawing, transacting, transferring or dealing in any manner with the said money,” the judge ruled.
The added that the money will be preserved for 90 days pending filing of a forfeiture order by the Asset Recovery Agency who suspect the money to be proceeds of crime.
The agency told the court that there was imminent risk that the funds held in the said bank accounts may be withdrawn, transferred or dispatched if the preservation orders are not granted and this may greatly prejudice investigations into money laundering and the tracing, identification and recovery of proceeds of crime.
“The respondent is suspected to be part of a syndicate involved in a complex money laundering scheme involving a foreign national Marc De Mesel who is suspected to be the kingpin of the money laundering scheme,” the agency told the court.
The officer added that preliminary investigations established that Kago executed a complex scheme of money laundering designed to conceal, disguise the nature, source, deposition and movement of illicit funds suspected to constitute proceeds of crime.
“There are reasonable grounds and evidence demonstrating that the funds held by the respondent in the specified bank accounts are direct or indirect benefits, profits or proceeds of crime obtained from a complex money laundering scheme and liable to be forfeited to the State,” he added.
This is the fourth Kenyan woman who has received millions of Shillings from the Belgian businessman.
The first one was 21 year old college student Felesta Nyamathira Njoroge who suddenly received Sh 102 million in her account inAgust 2021, raising the eyebrow of the authorities.
The women claim to have received the gift from Mesel as a present. Njoroge, who was expectant at the time, said she was to invest in land projects and safaris.
Mesel lamented after authorities raided their home accusing them of money laundering saying he had followed due process and filled all the requisite papers before transferring the money.
