A fake press release by the US Treasury sanctioning Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah was on Thursday, March 30 shared widely by Kenyans on social media.
The document purported that the DP and Ichung'wah were sanctioned against travelling to the US over the raid on Kenyatta family-owned Northlands City Project on March 27.
Trade CS Moses Kuria and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro were also included on the list.
However, Kenyans.co.ke, through a search on the official website of the US Treasury, established that the press statement was fake.
According to the fake statement, the sanctions were issued on Wednesday, March 29.
It was established that only four statements were released by the US Treasury on Wednesday and all of them touched on the US government's economic policies.
On the other hand, the US Treasury can only issue economic and trade sanctions based on a number of offences.
The offences also have to directly affect the US - contrary to the raid on the Northlands farm.
"The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, and international narcotics traffickers.
"Also, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States," US Treasury explained on its website.
Kenyans.co.ke also searched the names of those mentioned in the sanctioned list and none of their names popped up.
Locally, the US Embassy also flagged the screenshot as fake.
The Kenya Kwanza leaders also distanced themselves from the raid on the farm of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's property.
The farm located along the Eastern Bypass was raided by goons who looted sheep worth Ksh70 million and destroyed an unknown number of trees.
Police are yet to issue a statement on the progress of their investigations.
