The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has moved to court seeking orders to freeze property valued at Ksh1.2 billion belonging to a Ministry of Lands employee.
In a statement dated, Friday, June 17, EACC stated that Nicholas Owino Ochiel amassed wealth consisting of property, vehicles, and cash which did not match his salary and other sources of income.
“EACC has moved to court to compel the employee of the Ministry of Lands to forfeit to the state unexplained Ksh1,206,851,274 wealth comprising properties, vehicles, and cash that is not commensurate to his known and legitimate income sources.
“He is believed to have accumulated the unexplained Ksh1,206,851,274 between January 2003 and November 2018 (period of interest) against his known legitimate source of income namely Salary and allowances amounting to Kshs6,367,644 for the entire period,” read the EACC statement in part.
As the case is still pending in court, the anti-corruption body stated that more information would be provided at a later date.
The Lands official was involved in a legal battle with other associates in 2017 after being accused of fraudulently transferring shares of a Nairobi-based property.
The official had petitioned the Court of Appeal to overturn a decision made by Justice Grace Nzioka.
Consequently, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Karambu Koome (then a Court of Appeal Judge), Justice Alnashir Visram, and Wanjiru Karanja dismissed the petition, stating that it lacked merit.
