A City Hall procurement officer, Michael Ajwang, a junior earning a Sh21,000 monthly salary, was nabbed with 11 cars, a three-star hotel in Kisumu, nine pieces of land and three motorbikes.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has asked the High Court to freeze the properties pending the completion of the investigations into the source.
The EACC suspected that the properties were acquired through graft.
“The applicant reasonably suspects that the said assets are proceeds of corruption amenable to forfeiture to the state,” EACC’s advocate Joram Wambugu said.
The anti-corruption commission has told the court that Mr Michael Auka Ajwang’ earns a monthly salary of Sh21,000 but he has allegedly received bribes from companies awarded tenders at City Hall.
Also, EACC says his net salary from January 2014 to June 2022–the period under investigations– amounted to Sh2.1 million but he has amassed wealth that is not commensurate with his known sources of income.
EACC says that in one instance, Mr Ajwang’s received as much as Sh40 million as bribe to award tenders to companies trading with the county government.
The EACC told the court that it is apprehensive that Mr Ajwang’ might sell or transfer the properties, in light of the ongoing investigations.
“The respondents, their agents, servants or any other persons are prohibited from transferring, and or disposing of howsoever described, the following properties,” Justice Daniel Ogembo said.
The freeze order will remain in place for six months.