Ex-City Hall Employee Loses Ksh280M, Runda Mansion After Tussle

Former Nairobi County Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba in court
Former Nairobi County Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba in court
File

A former City Hall finance officer was on Monday, September 28, dealt a blow after the court ordered for the seizure of his Ksh282 million and Runda Mansion.

The Court of Appeal, in a ruling , upheld an earlier decision allowing the state to seize Jimmy Kiamba's property despite objections from the accused.

The money was reportedly contained in bank accounts he jointly holds with his wife Tracy Mbinya.

Kiamba had petitioned to have the State barred from seizing his money and property arguing that his financial dealings were probed without his knowledge.

Nairobi County Headquarters at City Hall
Nairobi County Headquarters at City Hall
Simon Kiragu

His Runda Mansion is valued at Ksh35 million.

In May 2019, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) became suspicious after finding hundreds of millions sitting in his bank account, yet his salary was only Ksh90,000 per month; and there was no way he could amass such humongous amounts of money with such pay.

The prosecutor of the case showed that the suspect deposited more than Ksh400 million between January and November in 2014.

It was also established that he deposited Ksh719 million, Ksh312 million, Ksh286 million, Ksh32.1 million and Ksh39.1million in different bank accounts.

In his defence, Kiamba claimed that he was an astute businessman who made his fortune by, among other things, selling water from his borehole to residents of Machakos County, livestock trading in Narok and growing wheat and maize in the same region as well as rental income.

His wealth declaration before the period in question, however, reveal a steep climb into his billionaire status.

In 2007, he declared that he had earned Ksh 831,840 from his salary and had assets worth Ksh1 million (a plot worth Ksh 400,000 in Athi River and a car worth Ksh 600,000).

In his declaration for the period between November 1, 2007, and October 31, 2009, he indicated his gross salary was Ksh1 million for the two years, and had earned Ksh 600,000 from rental income for the two years. 

Kiamba added that he had rental flats in Athi River worth Ksh2.7 million and a Totoya RAV 4 car worth Ksh1.2 million.

A court Gavel.
A court Gavel.
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