EACC found huge amounts of cash in Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero's account suspicious

Investigators have told a Nairobi court that Governor Evans Kidero’s bank accounts had large cash deposits suspected to be proceeds of corruption.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Investigation Officer, Mulki Umar, said the evidence uncovered aroused reasonable suspicion that the governor was involved in corrupt conduct.

“Upon the analysis of the said bank account, it was noted that between January 27, 2011 and December 31, 2015, Dr Kidero received a cash deposit of Sh317,116,000,” detective Umar told the court yesterday.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s account reflected huge cash deposits that investigators suspect were proceeds of corruption, a court heard yesterday.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) told the High Court that “the bank statement reflected large cash deposits on a regular basis quite characteristic of money laundering”.

EACC investigating officer Mulki Abdi Umar explained that following evidence that provided reasonable suspicion that the governor was involved in corrupt conduct and economic crimes, she obtained a court order on January 19 from Makadara Chief Magistrate’s Court to investigate the accounts.

“Upon the analysis of the said bank account, it was noted that between January 27, 2011 and December 31, 2015, Kidero received into the said bank account a sum of Sh317,116,000 in cash deposits alone,” said Umar in a replying affidavit dated March 14.

Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero. EACC Investigation Officer, Mulki Umar, said the evidence uncovered aroused reasonable suspicion that the governor was involved in corrupt conduct. (PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO/ STANDARD)

The account also reflected a sum of Sh200 million, equivalent to slightly over US$2 million at the prevailing exchange rate, which was deposited in a fixed deposit account.

Umar said it was evident from the account transactions that the petitioner could easily afford the money equivalent to the bribe he is alleged to have given. Kidero is accused of giving a Sh200 million bribe to Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi to influence the decision of an election petition filed against him by Kabete MP Ferdinard Waititu. A tribunal is set to investigate the veracity of the claims.

Besides, the account reflects other funds invested in fixed deposit accounts. Umar added that the transactions in the account led to discovery of other accounts associated with Kidero.

The detective said it was on the strength of that information that the commission sought and obtained a warrant to investigate Kidero’s accounts. Umar said it was the mandate of EACC to conduct investigations on suspected fraud of any kind.

“EACC wanted to establish the truth on whether there was a money trail and movements of the funds,” said Umar.

EACC wants the court to dismiss a petition filed by Kidero and his wife Susan seeking to stop investigations into their bank accounts.

Several accounts

Yesterday, the parties appeared before Justice Joseph Onguto, who extended the orders barring EACC from investigating the accounts until June 20 when the matter will be heard.

Umar indicated that the commission suspected Kidero had enriched himself through corrupt practices as Governor of Nairobi and previously while serving as managing director of Mumias Sugar Company.

“That preliminary investigations revealed that indeed the petitioner has received tens of millions of shillings into his several bank accounts held in different currencies and further that the petitioner has acquired several assets in Nairobi and elsewhere during his tenure as the managing director of Mumias Sugar Company Ltd and Governor Nairobi City County,” Umar stated in the affidavit.

Umar noted that there were allegations that Kidero colluded with other officers at Mumias Sugar to fraudulently transfer funds to personal accounts, a conduct that amounted to corruption and economic crimes.

Umar added that Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko had received intelligence reports indicating that Kidero regularly received millions of shillings in bribes from Mumias Sugar and dealers while serving as the firm’s managing director.

To further the investigations, Umar said EACC made an application on February 22 before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Milimani for warrants to investigate the other known accounts of Kidero.

Among the accounts that EACC wanted to probe were two US dollar accounts and a Sterling Pound account. Others are his wife’s account and another at Family Bank operated by the Evans Kidero Foundation.

The investigating officer said the probe had revealed that indeed Kidero had received tens of millions of shillings into his several bank accounts held in different currencies.

On March 2, EACC was temporarily barred from investigating bank accounts operated by the governor and his wife.