UK, Switzerland and Jersey Join Kenya in Fight Against Corruption

The Government of Kenya has a reason to sigh after signing deals with three countries so far that will see them recover their stolen assets.

UK, Switzerland, and the Jersey state of the USA have pledged their support for Kenya’s fight against graft promising to return all the stolen assets and currency hidden in their countries.

On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Attorney General Kiharu Kariuki met Jersey state’s Senator Ian Gorst at Harambee House to sign a deal that would see Kenya recover approximately Kshs516 million stashed in the state.

The assets are believed to have been wired by former Kenya Power and Lighting Company boss Samuel Gichuru and former Finance Minister Chris Okemo. 

“This significant move is to ensure that the people of Kenya win the war against corruption and reiterates the Government’s commitment that corruption should never pay,” Eric Kiraithe, the government spokesman stated after the deal was signed.

In March, Kenya recovered Ksh577 million from the UK government, proceeds believed to have been from two major corruption scandals.

In July, the Government also signed another deal with Switzerland that saw proceeds worth Ksh200 million from the Anglo-leasing saga frozen.

With Kenya intensifying its crackdown on graft scandals, the suspects have devised ways to escape the long arm of the law by wiring their graft dealing proceeds to foreign accounts making it hard for the Assets Recovery Agency to nab them.

"Citizens must feel the benefits of the illicit funds that are being returned and that is why signing this agreement and the MoU is important. It is a framework that will be replicated with other countries," Gorst reiterated during the signing of the MoU between Kenya and Jersey.

EACC chair Halakhe Waqo reported that the recovered assets would be injected into different development projects in the country.

 

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