The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has been directed by the Court to repossess property of a senior Government official based in the Ministry of Interior.
In his ruling, Justice Onyiego held it that one Thomas Gitau Njogu- a senior Assistant Accountant General was found to be in possession of unexplained assets valued at Ksh117 million.
Trouble started when EACC raided the home of Mr Njogu in 2017 from where they recovered some Ksh9 million in cash and documents of his property.
While Mr Njogu was only appointed to his position in 2015 earning a gross salary of Ksh 155,000 a month, he would make suspicious deposits to his accounts between January 2016 and July 2017.
During this period, Njogu and his wife Teresia Njeri Gitau are reported to have deposited upwards of Ksh111 million.
It is from these suspicions that EACC detectives would swoop in on the couple only to find other crucial documents of undeclared property.
Justice Onyiego held that Thomas Gitau Njogu a Senior Assistant Accountant General in the State Department for Interior and Coordination was found to be in possession of unexplained assets worth Kshs. 117M and was ordered forfeit the said assets to the Government.
— EACC (@EACCKenya) December 3, 2019
Njogu’s salary which came to a paltry Ksh1.8 million a year, the detectives noted, remained untouched.
This is despite him claiming he never had any other sources of income.
Rogue Government officials have been reported to be in possession of hordes of cash arising from kick-backs in tenders.
Out of fear of being traced, the wheeler-dealers are said to be using cash to avoid suspicion as they deposit them in bits hoping they are never caught.
Central Bank of Kenya directed lenders to ensure customers making huge deposits of from Ksh1 million fill forms explaining the source of the monies.
Similarly, those intending to deposit up to Ksh3 million are required to give a three-day notice before embarking on the transactions.