Gachagua ‘raided’ late brother's accounts after London trip: Orengo tells Senate

Senior Counsel James Orengo has defended the push to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office, accusing him of irregularly obtaining funds from his late brother, Nderitu Gachagua's accounts.

Appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, Orengo expressed doubts about how Gachagua executed his brother's Will, which has become the subject of the impeachment case.

He claimed that the Deputy President “raided” his brother’s accounts and used the proceeds to acquire prime properties including the iconic Treetops and Outspan hotels in Nyeri County.

While Gachagua maintains that most of his wealth came from his inheritance from his brother, Orengo, representing the National Assembly in the impeachment trial, contended that the execution of the Will raises suspicions.

Orengo pointed out that Gachagua began withdrawing funds from the late Nderitu's accounts on the very day the governor died.

He detailed that Gachagua traveled to London, where his brother was receiving specialized treatment, on February 16, 2017. The following day, he allegedly got his brother to sign the will. Barely a week later, on February 24, 2017, when Nderitu Gachagua passed away, Orengo claims Gachagua had already begun to withdraw money from his late brother’s accounts.

Orengo accused Gachagua of acquiring additional properties through funds he irregularly obtained from his late brother.

“He went to a hospital in London where his brother was admitted in ICU. When he arrived the next day, he persuaded his brother to execute a will… that was on February 17, 2017. There is no evidence that he spoke with the doctors or physicians caring for his brother during that trip. After that visit, he went away…” Orengo stated.

He continued, “The way his brother’s accounts were accessed continued up to the acquisition of Olive Gardens through a proxy. He also bought properties in Nyeri, including the Outspan and Treetops hotels. Evidence will show that he was misappropriating funds that rightfully belonged to his late brother’s estate to acquire these properties. If that is not a legal offense, then these transactions represent proceeds of crime committed by the Deputy President to acquire property. We assert that the acquisition of these properties stemmed from criminal conduct,” Orengo concluded.

“From the way his brother’s accounts were raided that was continued to the time Olive Gardens was acquired through a proxy. He bought property in Nyeri, the Outspan and Treetops hotels…

“Evidence will show that he was raiding monies that truly belonged to the estate of his late brother to acquire property. If that is not an offence, by law. These were proceeds of crime committed by the deputy president to acquire property… We are saying, the acquisition of these properties came out of criminal conduct,” concluded Orengo.

Advocate Elisha Ongoya, who is representing DP Gachagua in the case, dismissed Orengo’s claims as an attempt to incite public sentiment against the Deputy President.