Moses Lenolkulal, the former governor of Samburu, is among prominent individuals whose assets were seized by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The EACC recovered more than Sh80.7 million for the Samburu County Government after Lenolkulal was convicted of corruption.

Additionally, the commission recovered Sh317 million from former City Hall Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba. The funds were returned to the Nairobi City County Government.

These revelations were part of the EACC’s Financial Report for 2023/24, which detailed the recovery of illegally acquired and unexplained assets worth approximately Sh2.9 billion through court rulings and out-of-court settlements.

Other notable recoveries included a Sh26 million parcel of land in Kakamega from Jacqueline Musalia and Zablon Mabea and a Sh14 million plot in Mombasa seized from Salim Mohamed and reverted to the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

The commission also recovered two parcels of land, each valued at Sh10 million, from Ashok Doshi, Georgina N. Mutava, and Ronald Matende, located in Mombasa and Bungoma, respectively.

Former Isiolo County Chief Officer Wario Boru and Qabale Wario forfeited Sh5.1 million to the county government, while lawyer Joseph Owino Kojwado returned Sh10 million to the Nairobi City County Government.

Speaking at the launch of the report, EACC CEO Mohamud Abdi highlighted that, in addition to the Sh2.9 billion recovered from 56 cases, the commission is pursuing lawsuits to recover Sh9.2 billion in 47 ongoing cases.

“Cumulatively, the commission is pursuing over 400 cases involving corruptly acquired assets valued at approximately Sh49.5 billion across various courts in the country,” said Abdi.

Abdi also raised concerns about the growing prevalence of bribery, noting that it accounted for 42 per cent of corruption offences investigated during the year.

He emphasised the need to address bribery, particularly at public service points, where citizens often face extortion while seeking essential services.

“To the ordinary person, corruption is bribery. We will pursue high-impact, high-value corruption cases with the same vigor as smaller cases to ensure services are accessible to our people without extortion,” Abdi stated.

EACC Chairperson David Oginde expressed alarm over public officials using family members as proxies to embezzle public funds.

“Officials are enrolling their children, spouses, and relatives to create companies that win government tenders, steal resources, and deposit the funds into private accounts,” Dr Oginde said.

He warned that this practice undermines family integrity and ethics, noting that when the law catches up with such individuals, entire families, including children, are often implicated.

“This destroys the future of young people who are innocent. We urge leaders not to involve their families in corrupt practices,” Oginde added.

Oginde also criticised professionals such as architects, engineers, lawyers, and accountants for facilitating corruption scandals.

He called on professional bodies to take a stand against unethical practices. “If professionals refused to engage in corrupt deals, mega corruption would end abruptly. Many individuals lack the technical capacity to design the complex schemes we see today,” Oginde asserted.

The EACC Chair also pointed to the misuse of religious institutions for laundering corruption proceeds.

“Religious leaders must refuse to be silenced by accepting donations from ill-gotten wealth. A dog with a bone in its mouth cannot bark,” Oginde remarked.

He urged religious institutions to scrutinize contributions and reject money obtained through corrupt practices.

“We must continue rebuking corruption from our pulpits and gatherings and intensify our role as custodians of morality and ethics in society,” he concluded.