Court freezes Ksh.537M assets owned by City Hall official on a Ksh.21K monthly salary

The High Court has frozen assets worth Ksh.537 million belonging to a City Hall official who takes home Ksh.21,000 per month.

The assets include ten motor vehicles and nine prime parcels of land in Siaya and Kisumu Counties with one of the lands housing a high-end hotel.

Justice Esther Maina issued the ruling on Wednesday after Michael Auka Ajwang, a Nairobi County Purchasing Officer, failed justify the source of the unexplained wealth to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Maina likewise issued an injunction order barring Ajwang and Hydeout Riviera Limited, a company the defendant is associated with, from transferring and disposing of the said properties.

Ajwang and Hydeout Riviera have also been prohibited from demanding Ksh.799,000 seized from their accounts by EACC.

"Pending the hearing and determination of this suit, a temporary injunction is issued restraining the Defendants/Respondents by themselves, their servants, agents or any other person from demanding Kshs. 799,000 seized pursuant to a search conducted by the Plaintiff/Applicant in Miscellaneous Criminal Application Number E1773 of 2022," Maina ruled.

The orders will remain in force until the case is fully heard and determined.