Former Samburu governor Moses Lenolkulal has lost four prime properties in Nairobi’s suburb, Karen, worth millions after the High Court ruled that the assets are proceeds of crime.
High Court judge Esther Maina ruled that the assets should be forfeited to the government because they are linked to corruption.
The judge said contracts that are founded on illegalities amount to proceeds of corruption and should be forfeited to the state, even if the contractor did the work without loss of public funds.
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) submitted that Mr Lenolkulal traded with the county government through a company linked to himself and paid from public coffers.
“Investigations also revealed that the Defendant (Mr Lenolkulal) using the proceeds of corruption received as stated above invested the same in the acquisition of four properties all located in Karen Nairobi at Sh15 million each," the EACC said.
The properties were first frozen in 2019 and Mr Lenolkulal, who is battling a corruption case in court, was barred from selling or transferring them. Also forfeited to the government is Sh14.6 million in his bank account.
The EACC has accused Mr Lenolkulal of influencing tenders in the county to be awarded to Oryx service station, a company associated with him.
The anti-graft body said Oryx Service Station entered into contracts with Samburu County government and the company was paid about Sh80 million for the supply of fuel.
The court was informed that Oryx Service station suppled fuel to the county government between 2014 and 2019.
An analysis of the flow of funds between his bank account and that of Oryx Service Station revealed that public funds were received into Oryx Service Station bank account from the county government and withdrawn or transferred into his personal bank accounts.
The former county boss then purchased the properties in Karen on July 8, 2015.
