EACC has obtained court orders to freeze two properties belonging to the wife of a former Mt Kenya Governor.
The freeze orders issued on Thursday relate to the properties valued at Sh15 million pending the conclusion of an ongoing suit to recover the full amount of Sh542,610,615.
The Commission is also seeking to recover the Sh9.5 million deposit paid to a real estate company for the purchase of holiday homes for the Governor’s wife and the Director of a media consultancy firm.
In a statement on Thursday, EACC said that the two properties include a building block valued at Sh7,500,000 located at Umoja Innercore and a parcel of land in Mweiga in Kikuyu valued at Sh8.8 million.
"The Commission had investigated allegations of procurement irregularities and conflict of interest amongst public officials in the county government," the statement read in part.
The commission said investigations revealed that a media constancy firm associated with the governor was solely awarded tenders worth Sh542.6 out of all companies prequalified in the 2013/2014 and 2016/2017 financial years.
It said the director of the company was an associate of the governor.
"Consequently, the Governor and his wife benefitted directly from the contract amounts paid to the media consultant. In addition, a company belonging to the Governor’s wife was also a direct recipient of the funds paid to the media consultant," EACC said.
The Commission further said investigations established that the media consultancy firm and its Director also made payments for loans on behalf of the Governor and met flight expenses and hotel accommodation costs.
It said the firm also paid Sh500,000 to the governor's foundation which he co-owned with his wife.
"Cumulatively, the Governor and his wife received in excess of Sh28 million from funds that had been paid by the County Government. The Company also purchased the earlier mentioned two properties for the Governor’s wife," EACC claimed.
