The High Court has barred a senior Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning official and his wife from selling or transferring six properties, a motor vehicle and funds held in two bank accounts over allegations that the assets were acquired using proceeds from government tenders tainted by conflict of interest.
The orders followed an application by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which is seeking to recover Sh244.97 million allegedly received by six companies linked to the official’s wife through procurement contracts awarded by the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning.
The official, Patrick Makau Muteti, is a Principal Supply Chain Management Officer at the State Department, while his wife, Lilian Wanza, is listed as the sole director of the six firms named in the suit.
The companies are Pampire Hyper Solutions, Momentum Solutions, Trihard Solutions, Vineyard Hyper Solutions, Moptive Enterprises Limited and Trimple Agencies Limited.
The court restrained the couple, their agents and any other persons acting on their behalf from selling, transferring, charging, leasing, disposing of or otherwise dealing with the assets pending an inter partes hearing and determination of the application.
The orders also prohibit withdrawals, transfers or other dealings in funds held in specified accounts at KCB Bank and Co-operative Bank.
The properties under restriction are located in Nairobi and Konza, according to the commission’s pleadings.
The EACC alleges that the assets were acquired wholly or partly using proceeds from public procurement transactions in which Muteti allegedly participated, influenced decisions or facilitated processes involving companies associated with his wife.
Ardhi House in Nairobi where the Ministry of Lands offices are located.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“The Plaintiff avers that the conduct of the 1st Defendant aforesaid constituted a conflict of interest, improper participation in and influence of procurement processes, and abuse of his position as a public officer,” the commission told the court.
The commission said it received allegations that the official had a conflict of interest in tenders awarded to the six companies between January 2015 and September 2025.
According to the EACC, the firms received payments totalling Sh244.97 million through procurement transactions allegedly undertaken in circumstances that violated public procurement laws and ethical requirements.
The commission claims Muteti failed to disclose his private interest arising from his relationship with Wanza and her interests in the companies. He is also accused of participating in procurement processes involving the firms instead of recusing himself.
Further, the EACC alleges that he used his position, access and influence within the ministry’s Supply Chain Management Unit to facilitate transactions involving the companies, potentially giving them an advantage over other suppliers.
Investigations established that Muteti joined the public service in 2010 as a clerical officer at the then Ministry of Housing before being redeployed to the Supply Chain Management Unit at the Ministry of Lands in August 2013.
He was subsequently redesignated as a Supply Chain Management Assistant IV at the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning, effective November 13, 2013, before rising through the ranks to his current position.
The commission alleges that during his tenure in the procurement unit, the six companies secured various contracts from the ministry while he held responsibilities connected to procurement processes.
The EACC further claims that the tenders mainly involved stationery and other supplies procured through the request-for-quotations (RFQ) method, despite the values of the respective contracts allegedly exceeding the statutory thresholds permitted under that procurement method.
The commission argues that the use of the RFQ method in the transactions was contrary to applicable public procurement laws and regulations.
In the substantive suit, the EACC is seeking restitution of Sh244.97 million and declarations that the procurement transactions were unlawful and tainted by conflict of interest.
Alternatively, it wants the identified properties and motor vehicle forfeited and sold, with the proceeds applied towards recovering the alleged proceeds of corruption. It is also seeking forfeiture of the funds held in the two bank accounts.
The commission says it is entitled to recover property traceable to the allegedly irregular public payments or other assets of equivalent value belonging to the defendants.
The preservation orders are intended to prevent the assets from being disposed of or transferred before the case is determined. The application will be heard on November 19, 2026.
