Appeal Court okay Eacc seizure of Sh615million unexplained wealth from former KRA employee
The Court of Appeal has okayed move by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Eacc) to impose a seizure and recovery measures of Sh615million unexplained wealth belonging to a former Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officer and his wife.
Joseph Chege Gikonyo and his wife Lucy Kangai Stephen are facing recovery proceedings over questionable wealth amounting to Sh0.6billion.
In the ruling, Appellate Court Judges Daniel Musinga, Imaana Laibuta and Ngenye Macharia overturned a High Court decision that had thwarted attempts by Eacc to recover Sh615million corruptly acquired assets held by Gikonyo, his wife and their company known as Giche Limited.
In their decision, the judges also set aside a ruling by the High Court that had lifted orders freezing Gikonyo’s questionable assets pending the hearing and deter- mination of the recovery suit by Eacc.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby order and direct that the ruling and orders of the High Court Judge Hedwig Ong’udi dated November 23, 2018 be and are hereby set aside.
The appellant’s (Eacc) case to wit ACECA No. 14 of 2018 be and is hereby remitted to the High Court for hearing and determi- nation on the forfeiture application on its merits.” The judges ordered.
Justice Ong’undi had declined an application by Eacc to preserve the unexplained wealth held by Gikonyo pending conclusion of the recovery proceedings.
She had also issued orders that had excluded four prime properties held by Giche Limited, a company owned by Gikonyo from the forfeiture suit.
