Court freezes man's accounts over Sh224 million wealth

Between last October 17 and October 19, Andrew Musuya withdrew Sh5 million that had been credited to his bank account.

Despite earning a monthly salary of Sh101, 000, Mr Musuya, a principal accountant at the County Government of Trans Nzoia, had Sh74 million deposited to his accounts between April and October.

These, and several other 'questionable' activities on his bank accounts, are what made the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) seek to freeze Musuya’s accounts, claiming he has illegally accumulated over Sh224 million within a short time.

And last Thursday, High Court Judge Hedwig Ong’udi issued orders freezing the accountant's three bank accounts held at Equity and Cooperative banks for six months to allow the EACC to complete investigations into how he acquired his wealth.

According to the anti-graft body, Musuya has also constructed a multi-million shilling storied building in Mtwapa, Kilifi County, bought a plot in Kwamonzo village, bought three high-end vehicles and opened a petrol station in Mukuyu town since he was employed in November 2014.

“We are convinced he is colluding with a private consultancy firm to embezzle public funds through inflated and fictitious contracts. An analysis of cash flow being deposited in his accounts is not commensurate with his modest salary or any other known source of income,” EACC told Justice Ong'udi.

The commission’s lawyer Rosslyne Murugu submitted that investigations had revealed a chain of secret deals involving the accountant, his wife Salome Waleghwa and a private consultant, Isaiah Walubengo.

To allegedly conceal his acts of siphoning public funds, EACC claimed that Musuya registered a company called Mukuyu Petroleum Dealers, which he uses to deposit large sums of money daily.

The EACC officials said they would also file another application to freeze Salome's and Walubengo’s accounts as they seek to recover the amounts they argued were illegally acquired from public funds.