Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has seized assets worth Sh 100 million that belonged to an officer of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) based in Kajiado County.
In a report seen by The Informer EACC said Esther Wanjiru Chege is under investigation for alleged conflict of interest, embezzlement of public funds and unexplained wealth.
According to EACC Wanjiru is believed to have fraudulently acquired the assets that include millions of shillings while earning a net monthly salary of Sh116,640.
Wanjiru is suspected of having, jointly with others, siphoned public funds through companies registered through proxies and relatives.
Her partner Robert Macharia Kimotho and Wanjiru’s brother are among the suspected accomplices to the corruption saga.
Wanjiru is also said to have acquired 13 parcels of land scattered in various towns including: Kiambu, Nyandarua, Naivasha, Makueni and Kajiado.
The anti-graft body seized the 13 title deeds after the assets were frozen by the High Court in Machakos on July 19, 2022.
At the same time ordered that Wanjiru’s Equity bank account holding Sh3,295,271 be frozen immediately for a period of six months as detectives conduct thorough investigations into the matter.
EACC is seeking to have any assets corruptly acquired by Wanjiru forfeited to the state.
“The agency believes that the bank account is being used as a conduit for depositing and transferring proceeds of corruption at the Kenya Rural Roads Authority,” a statement by EACC read in part.
A report by EACC indicates that between January 2016 – May 2022, Wanjiru transacted Sh26,359,921 through the said bank account.
“Together with her partner Robert Macharia Kimotho, they operate a school bank Account under the name St. Sharon Secondary School where money is sent from their company accounts to and before its transfer to their personal accounts and M-Pesa,” adds EACC
According to the anti-graft agency, a company by the name M/s Rokays Enterprise Limited registered by Wanjiru’s her partner Robert Macharia Kimotho, who is a Director of St. Sharon Secondary School in Nyandarua, received over Sh.5 million from KERRA.
Another company, M/s Reswan Enterprises Limited, registered under James Chege Njoroge, a brother to Esther Wanjiru Chege, is said to have received about Sh20million from KERRA.
Other companies where Wanjiru is registered as bank account signatory and which have traded with KERRA and received payments include Kaydtech Enterprises Limited, Reswan Holdings Limited and Resro Holdings Limited.