Court freezes prison cleaner’s assets worth Ksh257 million over graft claims

The High Court in Nairobi on Tuesday accepted an application by the EACC seeking to freeze Kshs257 million worth of assets belonging to an employee of the Kenya Prisons. EACC had filed an application requesting the court to allow it freeze Eric Kipkurui’s assets that include; a house estimated to be worth Ksh17.5 million, cars worth over Ksh30 million and land worth Ksh.57 million among others In its application, EACC argued that Kipkurui owns seven businesses which he allegedly used to acquire millions of shillings from State Department of Corrections, but did not deliver any goods to the agency. "…The properties so purchased constitute proceeds of corrupt conduct or corruption which the Applicant is mandated to seek recovery or forfeiture of from the 1st Respondent,” EACC’s application read in part. Delivering her ruling, Anti-Corruption division High Court  Judge Esther Maina gave EACC  the green light to hold on to the assets until the matter is heard and determined. [caption id="attachment_17721" align="alignnone" width="630"] File image of EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak. [Photo: Courtesy][/caption]"...An order of prohibition be and is hereby issued prohibiting the respondents jointly and severally, by themselves, their agents, servants or any other persons from transferring, disposing of, or in any other way dealing with the properties listed below pending conclusion of investigations by the Commission. "An order be and is hereby issued requiring the 1st Respondent to surrender Motor Vehicles Registration numbers KCH 360G, KCL 050T, KCH 593S, KCL 125R, KCN 475L, KCN 417B, KCL 778P together with their logbooks to the Applicant within 7 days of this order,” the judge ruled. According to the court, if the accused fails to adhere to the ruling, EACC is at liberty to move in and acquire the assets for preservation. The case is set for hearing on October 25, 2022.