Margaret Wanja Muthui, the deputy director at the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) is in the eye of a storm over financial impropriety.
The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) raised alarm over Ksh374.5 million linked to Muthui. The money traced into her bank account between June and September 2019 was used in purchasing prime property in Ruaka.
ARA in its probe found out that Muthui used the money to purchase 35 apartments in Ruaka. The apartments generate Ksh94 million in revenue which was deposited in her bank account.
The agency terms the money a product of illicit financial flows most of it being kickbacks from road contractors.
Her assets have since been frozen as ARA successfully petitioned the court. It seeks to have the property forfeited to the State since she is unable to explain how she got her wealth given her salary.
Justice James Wakiaga on Tuesday ordered for the freezing of all her assets and those of her proxies until the case is determined.
The Ksh94 million was banked with Co-operative Bank. Rental income will be channelled to a KCB account belonging to ARA.
In court papers, ARA argued that Muthui bought 11 apartments in Kileleshwa for Ksh264 million in four months.
Muthui is alleged to have moved to Ruaka where she bought 12 more units for Ksh15 million after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) set the September 30, 2019 deadline for converting the old Sh1,000 note into new ones.
The migration to new currency notes was in a bid to reign in on money launderers.
She purchased the property directly or through proxies including a company whose directors are her relatives.
In 2019, she acquired a house in Nairobi and Riruta and put them under one of her relatives. They were named as Esther Wagio Njunge, Grace Nyambura Ndiritu, Mercy Wambui Nyambura and Cynthia Wanjiku Nyambura.
Light House Trading Company Ltd whose directors are Wagio, Wacuka is under ARA’s radar.
Muthui was recently moved to KeRRA’s Infrastructure docket but she petitioned the transfer. She deputy director in charge of supply chain management.