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Detectives working for the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) are unravelling a puzzle into how Sh5 billion that appeared to have vanished into thin shortly after entering an account owned by Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua.
Initial investigations showed that a about Sh12.5 billion was paid into three of Gachagua's bank accounts at Rafiki Micro Finance Bank.
The ARA team did a forensic audit of the bank accounts but were only able to trace Sh7.5 billion.
Sh7.3 billion had been moved through withdrawals while another Sh200 million was sitting in the bank following a court order allowing the ARA to freeze the bank account.
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Despite the records showing entry of the money into the accounts, there was no record of the exit of Sh5 billion.
The ARA had initially sought a successful order to access former Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri's bank accounts where they hoped to trace the lost money.
The government agency was unsuccessful in its investigations and now wants Rafiki Micro Finance Bank to shed light on the disappearance.
The ARA also wants to collect the Sh200 million already in the account arguing that the money was stolen from state agencies.
“Preliminary investigations established that the respondents were involved in suspected complex scheme of money laundering involving several companies, which initially received funds from government ministries and State agencies and later transferred the funds to companies/business entities associated with Gachagua and ultimately transferred the funds to Gachagua’s personal accounts,” the ARA says in court documents.