Former Machakos County Gov't Official Under Probe over Sh637 Million Unexplained Wealth

The High Court has frozen two bank accounts and multi-million-shilling property belonging to a former Machakos County executive accused of corruptly acquiring wealth amounting to Sh637 million.

Justice Esther Maina barred Urbanus Wambua Musyoka from selling or transferring an unfinished house in Machakos, a parcel of land in the Kibauni area in Mwala, two motor vehicles and Sh11.5 million in two bank accounts.

“That the first defendant, his agents or any other persons is restrained from withdrawing, transferring, disposing of, wasting or in any other way, dealing with the funds held in the following bank accounts,” the judge ordered.

In a petition filed in court, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) says Musyoka used his position as Machakos County’s CEC Member for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative Development to fraudulently obtained funds that did not match with his known sources of income.

EACC says between 2014 and 2017, Musyoka influenced the awarding of tenders and contracts to companies linked to his wife, brother and associates. The companies include Wafih International Limited, Wisdom Holdings Limited, Wemmar Enterprises Limited and Kikoto General Merchants Limited.

Wafih International was paid Sh145.9 million in the period, Wisdom Holdings obtained Sh166 million while Wemmar and Kikoto received Sh55.8 million and Sh163.5 million respectively.

“Investigations by the Plaintiff revealed that between January 2014 and July 2021 the 1st Defendant awarded tenders amounting to Sh531,344,039 to companies associated to him,” read court papers.

“The 1st defendant acquired landed property and other assets valued at Sh105,809,831.00. The total cumulative value of all these assets less his salary earned during the period of interest amounted to Sh637,153,870.80.”

EACC says the four companies failed to remit taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) amounting to Sh181.7 million.