GEOFFREY MBUTHIA ENTERTAINMENT SUB-EDITOR

20 April 2022

• The prison cleaner is estimated to be worth Ksh 257 million on Ksh 20,000 salary.
• Justice Esther Maina gave the go-ahead for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to seize the employee's properties as investigations continue.

The level of corruption knows no bounds as this article illustrates so much so that a prison cleaner was able to amass Ksh257 million in wealth!

Yes, you read that right. This despite the prison cleaner having a Ksh20,000 salary! This has caused the Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court to order the freezing and seizing of the unnamed cleaners' assets.

Justice Esther Maina gave the go-ahead for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to seize the employee's properties as investigations continue.

The prison cleaner's assets included 3 houses worth Ksh57 million and 7 vehicles valued at Ksh32 million.

"Preliminary investigations have also established that the sum aforesaid was embezzled through fictitious contracts for the supply of food and rations to the State Department of Corrections, which goods were never supplied."

In the court documents, the EACC stated that the vehicles were purchased between May and November 2017.

The documents added that the employee received the Ksh257 million cash through 7 companies registered between 2012 and 2016.

"The seven enterprises were the conduits for embezzlement/fraudulent acquisition of Ksh257 million from the State Department. The properties so purchased constitute proceeds of corrupt conduct or corruption, which EACC is mandated to seek recovery of."

This story reminds me of Fredrick Sagwe Onyancha, the National Hospital Insurance employee who bought 8 houses worth Sh160 million between 2013 and 2017 at an upmarket estate in Athi River.

He also owned a chain of car and carpet-cleaning businesses across Nairobi valued at Sh50 million. This despite Sagwe's salary being Sh150,000 a month.

Sagwe’s lifestyle suddenly changed in 2013 after he joined the tender evaluation committee at NHIF. The committee awarded any tender, including those worth millions of shillings.