President Uhuru Kenyatta receives Sh450 million corruption repatriated from Jersey

The government has received more than Sh450 million, money that had been hidden in Jersey through a company connected to former Kenya Power and Lighting Company Managing Director Samuel Gichuru.

The company, Windward Trading, had been under investigation for close to a decade, after which Gichuru and former Finance minister Chris Okemo were found guilty of money laundering between the years 1999 and 2001.

The stashed monies came to light during proceedings of a divorce case between Samuel Gichuru and his then-wife Salome Njeri. She accused her ex-husband of not being truthful about his wealth saying he had money hidden abroad.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, speaking during the hand-over ceremony, said the government was going to intensify its efforts to ensure the war against corruption was completely won.

He received the money and other repatriated government assets at State House, Nairobi.

“We still have a long way to go and we cannot afford to go to sleep but we must intensify our efforts to ensure this war is completely won,” President Kenyatta reiterated.

EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak and Treasury CS Ukur Yattani EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak and Treasury CS Ukur Yattani Pulse Live Kenya

Some of the properties repatriated include land worth Sh2 billion belonging to the Kenya Railways Corporation as well as land belonging to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization valued at Sh2 billion.

Others include:- land belonging to the Uasin Gishu county government worth over Sh500 million, land belonging to Kisii county government valued at Sh64 million, and a parcel of land belonging to the Nakuru county government valued at Sh10 million.

Also present during the event was the British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriot who pledged her country’s commitment to the repatriation of wealth hidden in the UK.

“The Framework for the Return of Assets from Crime and Corruption signed on March 28 sends a clear signal to those who wish to steal from the state that they will ultimately not succeed. It provides a framework for future recovery of assets on international space,” she said.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak said the recovery of a further Sh7.6 billion was underway with over 350 civil cases filed across various courts in the country.