Court freezes prison staffer's assets in Ksh.257 million graft case

This is after the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) filed an application in court seeking to have the property including land valued at Ksh.57 million and vehicles valued at Ksh.30.5 million preserved on grounds that they were fraudulently acquired.

"THAT 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," ruled High court judge Esther Maina.

"THAT 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 failing which the Applicant shall be at liberty to seize, tow and detain the Motor Vehicles for purposes of preservation,"

The case will be mentioned on October 25, 2022.

According to documents filed in court, the accused, Eric Kipkurui, is an employer of the State Department of Corrections currently employed as a cleaning supervisor.

"The preliminary investigations have also established that he is a sole proprietor of seven business names registered between 2012 and 2016," reads court papers.

It is alleged that between the five years he used the business entities as conduits for the illegal acquisition of Ksh.257 million from State Department of Corrections by receiving payment for goods that were not supplied.

According to EACC, Kipkurui purchased the landed properties and motor vehicles through the money fraudulently acquired from the State Department of Corrections. 

"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," reads the documents.

The three landed properties in question are situated in Nairobi, Kericho and Nyaribari Chache.