EACC Allowed To Freeze Govt Official's 17 Cars, 106 Plots & Ksh4.3 Million
Justice Esther Maina issued the preservation order following a petition filed by EACC seeking to hold the official's property pending an investigation against him.
Marvin Chege 
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) was on Tuesday, March 12 allowed by the High Court to freeze 106 plots of land, 17 high-end vehicles, and Ksh4.3 million in cash belonging to a government employee attached to the Ministry of Lands.
Justice Esther Maina issued the preservation order following a petition filed by EACC seeking to hold the official's property pending an investigation against him.
The official, who is a Senior Land Registrar stationed in Thika, Kiambu County, found himself at the epicentre of the investigations, being accused of misuse of public funds, abuse of office power, and inexplicably amassed wealth that overshadows his lawful earnings.
EACC offices at Integrity Centre in Nairobi. /FILE
"Pending the conclusion of the investigations, there is an urgent need to preserve the said assets by prohibiting the transfer or disposal or any other dealing with the said properties," EACC requested the court.
Justice Maina gave the anti-graft watchdog a period of six months to hold the official's properties, arguing that without the freeze, there was a real danger that these assets could be transferred, sold, charged or otherwise disposed of, thereby jeopardizing the intended forfeiture to the Government.
Through its Advocate Pius Nyoike, EACC told the High Court that the official has accumulated wealth that is not commensurate with his known legitimate sources.
The employee, who previously served in Baringo County, was accused of acquiring suspected unexplained wealth, abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds.
EACC has been targeting government officials whose wealth does not correspond with their known sources of income.
The seized documents - title deeds, vehicle ownership papers, and bank records - are likely to reveal the extent of the discrepancies.
One famous case of this sort involved a Nairobi City Hall employee earning a monthly net salary of Ksh55,866 but amassed assets worth Ksh643 million which were frozen by the High Court on September 13, 2023.
The official was working as a Development Control Officer of the Nairobi County government and wielded assets which included land, apartments, cars, and cash. He had received and channelled Ksh506 million through bank accounts in his name and family members between January 2016 and October 2022.
He was also accused of acquiring several properties worth over Ksh100 million using the proceeds of crime. This case is still active in court.
Some of the properties under investigation are a plot in Kitengela valued at Ksh15 million, an apartment in Syokimau valued at Ksh12 million as well as a plot in Athi River valued at Ksh9 million,
Also under scrutiny include a plot in Machakos valued at Ksh8 million, and four vehicles worth Ksh11.5 million. The official was said to also own the 1824 nightclub in Nairobi which was recently closed down and demolished.
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