African countries are being urged to strengthen their recovery of assets in its fight against corruption, as it is the most viable strategy.
EACC deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud terms forfeiture of corruptly acquired assets as the ultimate panacea to the scourge of corruption in the continent.
“Asset recovery takes away the motivation for illicit enrichment and this is essential for deterrence, if effectively implemented,” he said.
The official made the remarks during a regional summit held in Kigali.
The regional summit, organised by the Institute of Certified Secretaries, brought together governance experts, scholars and practitioners from East Africa.
The event was aimed at exploring strategies for regional collaboration in enhancing good governance in Africa.
EACC commissioner Cecilia Mutuku and senior investigations officer Joyce Munene also attended the conference.
Mohamud also used the opportunity to enumerate what he termed as milestones in asset recovery in the country.
This, he attributed to the progressive jurisprudence from Kenyan courts.
"The law only requires EACC to prove on a balance of probability that an individual has assets disproportionate to their legitimately known sources of income," he said.
The evidentiary burden, he adds, shifts to the suspect to show that the assets in question were acquired otherwise than as a result of corrupt conduct.
