In Summary
• EACC cites great disparity between Jeremiah Kamau’s known legitimate income sources and assets of Sh192 million,
• It wanTs all assets frozen and Toyota Prado logbook surrendered while investigations are completed before forfeiture proceedings begin.
The ethics watchdog has sued a former KRA official who has acquired unexplained assets totalling Sh192 million in fewer than 10 years.
In an application on Thursday before the Anti-Corruption High Court, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission cited a huge disparity between the value of Jeremiah Kamau’s assets and his known legitimate source of income.
The EACC said it reasonably suspects that Kamau has engaged in corruption and economic crimes, as a result of which he has assets totalling Sh192 million.
“The commission is investigating allegations of bribery and corruption offences by Kamau, which he is suspected to have committed during his tenure as a public officer at KRA,” the EACC said.
Kamau was a public officer at Kenya Revenue Authority. He was employed at KRA as a graduate trainee on January 28, 2005. On November 19, 2015, he was was promoted to supervisor-domestic taxes department, a position he held until his resignation on March 16, 2021.
He is now alleged to be a farmer. He has been sued alongside his wife Theresa Njeri. The two are joint proprietors of Cherya and Bestline Enterprises Limited, which are also listed as respondents in the case.
According to the court documents, Kamau within the investigation period received a net salary of Sh12 million from 2012 to January 2021.
Investigations also established that in seven years between 2013 and 2020, Kamau acquired 19 properties in Kiambu county.
The anti-graft body said it is apprehensive Kamau may transfer, waste or in any other way deal with the assets. If he does, it will frustrate recovery of the public funds or the prosecution of those who may be found culpable of corrupt conduct.
The commission wants the court to prohibit Kamau, his wife and their companies from dealing with the 19 prime properties in Kiambu. The prohibition will enable the EACC to complete investigations before instituting recovery proceedings.
The EACC also seeks an order prohibiting Kamau and his wife from disposing of a Toyota Prado and an order requiring them to surrender its logbook.
A search of the couple’s residential premises by the EACC yielded Sh900,000, Chinese yuan 15,648 (Sh268,676) UAE dirham 435 (Sh13,109) and rand 100 (Sh744). The monies are being held by the EACC pending completion of investigations
(Edited by V. Graham)