The High Court has Thursday granted Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission orders freezing two properties purchased at over Sh15 million and belonging to the wife of the former Governor of Murang’a County Mwangi Wa Iria.
This is pending conclusion of the ongoing suit for recovery of the full amount that EACC is pursuing being Sh542 million.
The two properties include Nairobi Block 83/14/309 located at Umoja Innercore valued at Sh7.5 million and Mweiga Thungare/Block II/Therange Parcel valued at Sh8.8 million.
The commission had investigated allegations of procurement irregularities and conflict of interest amongst public officials in the County Government of Murang’a.
Investigations revealed that Top Image Media Consultants, a company associated with the then Governor Francis Mwangi Wa Iria had been solely awarded media buying tenders worth Sh542 million out of all companies prequalified between financial years 2013/2014 and 2016/2017.
The investigation revealed that the Director of Top Image Media Consultants Limited, Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, was a close associate of the Governor of Murangá County.
Consequently, the Governor and his wife benefitted directly from the contract amounts paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited.
The commission’s investigations revealed that the Director of Top Image Media Consultants transferred part of the funds to the Governor himself and his wife, Jane Waigwe Kimani.
In addition, Value View Limited, a company belonging to the Governor’s wife, was also a direct recipient of the funds paid to Top Image Media Consultants.
The commission also established that Top Image Media Consultants and its Director also made payments for loans on behalf of the Governor as well as flight expenses and hotel accommodation costs.
The company also made a payment of Sh500,000 to the Mwangi Wa Iria Foundation which is co-owned by the Governor and 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.
The Commission is in court seeking to recover the entire contract sum of Sh542 million paid to Top Image Media Consultants Limited for having been paid out of an illegal contract tainted with procurement irregularities and conflict of interest.
The commission also seeks to recover a deposit of Sh9.5 million that had been paid to Mlima Kenya Holiday Homes to purchase holiday homes for the Governor’s wife Jane Waigwe Kimani and Jane Wanjiru Mbuthia, Director of Top Image Media Consultants.
