The landmark Court of Appeal ruling recently which held that all unexplained funds and assets belong to the State is among the latest wins in the war on corruption as agencies intensify a crackdown on suspects with rags-to-riches stories.
According to anti-corruption agencies, the May 10 ruling by three appellate judges — Phillip Waki, Gatembu Kairu and Otieno Odek, will open the floodgates for the seizure of assets whose owners will be unable to effectively explain how they acquired them.
On Friday, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said that the ruling will boost their efforts to seize unexplained wealth of various officers who are facing corruption allegations in court.
The list of targeted “secret millionaires” include junior and senior county officers, members of county assemblies and other senior public officials who have amassed unexplainable wealth since 2013.
The list also include police officers whose rags to riches stories despite earning meagre salaries have drawn the interest of anti-corruption detectives.
The latest investigations involves relatives of Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and some company directors.
EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak told the Sunday Nation the investigation of suspicious transactions involving Sh588 million was complex and included unmasking several persons of interest.
Focus will be on bank accounts and property linked to the governor’s family and associates.
Most of those on the radar are county government officials, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) staff, police officers and ministry officials.
Others are directors of companies that are paid millions of shillings for supplying nothing.
Culled from Daily Nation.
