The High Court has given the Ethics and Anti-Corrution Commission (EACC) a greenlight to freeze assets belonging to former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria.
This was after investigations by the anti-graft commission revealed that the assets might have been purchased by proceeds of corruption activities.
The assets in question are a piece of land in Umoja Innercore valued at Sh7.5 million and another in Mweiga worth Sh8.8 million.
EACC was probing the former county boss for alleged graft involving Sh542.6 billion (542,610,615.15).
“The Commission had investigated allegations of procurement irregularities and conflict of interest amongst public officials in the County Government of Murang’a,” EACC says.
According to the commission, its investigations revealed that Top Image Media Consultants, a company associated with the then governor, had been solely awarded media buying tenders worth Sh542.6 between financial years 2013/2014 and 2016/2017.
Further, EACC reveals that the said company’s manager, Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, was a close associate of Wa Iria.
The investigators also say the governor and his wife benefitted directly from the contract amounts paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited.
“The Commission’s investigations revealed that the Director of Top Image Media Consultants transferred part of the funds to the Governor himself and his wife, Jane Waigwe Kimani. In addition, Value View Limited, a company belonging to the Governor’s wife, was also a direct recipient of the funds paid to Top Image Media Consultants,” EACC says.
Moreover, the Commission also established that Top Image Media Consultants and its Director also made payments for loans on behalf of the Governor as well as flight expenses and hotel accommodation costs.
The Company also made a payment of Sh500,000 to the Mwangi Wa Iria Foundation which is co-owned by the Governor and his wife.
The Commission is in court seeking to recover the entire Sh 542.6 billion paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited.
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