Ksh444 million recovered from former Kenya Power boss Samuel Gichuru and Chris Okemo (ex-Energy Minister) stashed in offshore accounts in Jersey will be channelled towards fighting COVID-19.
Kenya and Jersey struck a deal to have the money wired back to Nairobi eight years since a freeze on the accounts was imposed.
According to Business Daily, the money as detailed by the Jersey government will be used to procure medical supplies to treat COVID-19 in Kenya.
Gichuru and Okemo had close to one billion shillings stashed in Jersey’s offshore accounts since 2002.
The Royal Court of Jersey said the two Kenyans got the money from bribes valued at Ksh997 million but only Ksh444 million was confiscated a month ago by authorities in Jersey.
“These funds belong to the Kenyan people. Once finalised, the first return under this agreement by the Attorney-General of Jersey will, at the request of the Government of Kenya, provide Sh444 million towards the Covid-19 recovery,” Jersey authorities said in disclosure appearing on its State website.
“This includes the procurement of essential medical equipment and supplies, and supporting health infrastructure in counties where there is limited funding, high risk of infection and limited bed capacity. It will also contribute to strengthening healthcare worker capacity and enhancing home-based care. All funds will be channelled directly through implementing partners.”
Reports indicate that Gichuru who was then the Kenya Power boss got multi-million kickbacks for contracts awarded to Windward Trading Ltd.
The firm was awarded multi-billion supplying tenders since its inception in 1986. It purported to work on behalf of Kenya Power and charged consultancy fee and commissions which turned to be bribes.
Gichuru’s bribery lasted for a decade when he served as Kenya Power boss. Gichuru exited in 2003.
Okemo, on the other hand, plied his bribery scheme through Walbrook Trustees, another firm set up in Jersey and worked similar to Windward Trading Ltd.
It was in 2002 when authorities in Jersey flagged a suspicious transaction made by Walbrook and its accounts were frozen.
More than a decade later – in 2016 – Windward pleaded guilty before a Jersey court of having proceeds of crime and three other counts of acquiring profits from criminal conduct.
The Director of Public Prosecution has been fighting to have both Okemo and Gichuru extradited to Jersey to face criminal charges.
The case is currently before the Supreme Court. The High Court had allowed their extradition but the Court of Appeal quashed this decision.