Kenya to Receive Sh444 Million Seized from Two Former Government Officials' Offshore Accounts

Jersey is set to repatriate Sh444 million seized from offshore accounts belonging to two former Kenyan government officials.

Jersey authorities and their Kenyan counterparts recently struck an agreement to have the money recovered from former Kenya Power CEO Samuel Gichuru and former Energy minister Chris Okemo returned.

Business Daily reports that this will be the first batch of the billions of shillings seized from Kenyans in Jersey to be repatriated to Nairobi.

The repatriation comes eight years after the secret accounts in Jersey, which is part of the British Isles, were frozen. 

The money will be used to acquire medical supplies to ease the burden of COVID-19 treatment in rural areas, according to the repatriation deal between Kenyan and Jersey authorities.

The Royal Court of Jersey indicated that Gichuru and Okemo received bribes in hard cash amounting to Sh997 million but only Sh526 million was recovered after the rest was wired back to Kenya.

After deducting court expenses from the Sh526 million, the remaining Sh444 million will be repatriated to Kenya. 

“These funds belong to the Kenyan people. Once finalized, the first return under this agreement by the Attorney-General of Jersey will, at the request of the Government of Kenya, provide Sh444 million towards the Covid-19 recovery,” Jersey authorities said.

Okemo is reported to have used Windward Trading in Jersey as the company that would receive bribes disguised as commissions or consultancy fees from entities that won contracts from Kenya Power.

Walbrook Trustees (Jersey) Ltd were the administrators of Windward and would send back the money to Okemo.

Okemo and Gichuru could be extradited to Jersey to face corruption and money laundering charges if the Supreme Court approves an application filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The two face jail terms of up to 14 years if they are extradited to Jersey and found guilty of the charges leveled against them.