Court freezes accounts of KeRRA staff over Sh21m deposits in three months

The High Court has frozen bank accounts of a Kenya Rural Roads Authority staff suspected to have siphoned Sh21 million within three months.

Justice Kanyi Kimondo issued the orders freezing Daniel Munywoki Wambua's accounts following an application by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) claiming he has been stealing from the state agency.

"An order is hereby issued prohibiting the respondent, his agents or any person acting on his behalf from withdrawing, disposing or in any way dealing with the funds listed in the three accounts," ruled Kimondo.

Justice Kimondo said the order freezing Wambua's three accounts at Equity Bank shall remain in force for six months to allow EACC complete investigations.

EACC claimed Wambua, a junior accountant at KeRRA with net monthly salary of Sh55,607 opened the accounts on March 15 this year, and within four months had deposited more than Sh21 million without disclosing the source.

The EACC through lawyer Culent Simiyu submitted that preliminary investigations established that Wambua's account received Sh21,189,125 suspected to be proceeds of corruption and not from his known legitimate sources of income.

The commission claimed in a bid to conceal the funds, Wambua opened another account at Equity Bank on June 16 2023 and transferred Sh5 million within the same day while his third account at the same bank was credited with Sh1.7 million between April and June.

EACC accused Wambua of engaging in embezzlement of public funds, conflict of interest and abuse of office since he cannot explain the source of his sudden wealth.

"We believe due to his corrupt conduct, Wambua has acquired illicit wealth. The amounts deposited in his accounts are way above what he earns in a year which makes the commission suspect they are proceeds of crime," said Simiyu.

EACC lead investigator Mathew Ong'ondo in his affidavit swore that the public officer cannot explain the source of his sudden wealth.