Accounts registered under the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Atieno Amadi, were frozen on Thursday, May 18, following orders by a High Court judge, Justice David Majanja.
The court also ordered bank accounts registered under her son's name, Brian Amadi, and two others frozen following an alleged gold scam deal targeting a Dubai-based company.
This was after the company dealing with gold moved to court, suing Amadi, her son, and others. In their suit, the Dubai-based firm claimed that suspects acting on behalf of a law firm, Amadi and Associates Advocates, unlawfully received a cash wire of Ksh102 million (USD742,206.48) but never supplied the minerals.
Additionally, the Dubai dealer claimed that one suspect introduced them into the business after it expressed interest in acquiring gold from Kenya.
A deal was allegedly struck for the suspect to deliver gold which would then be exported to Dubai. The first cash transfer was reportedly wired to the suspects roped in the suit.
However, the gold was allegedly not delivered to a Dubai-based merchant. Following push and pull with the dealers, the Briton moved to court seeking to recover his money. In the petition, he argued that the account that received the money was registered under Amadi.
“She is among those who orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to obtain money by false pretence through her law firm Amadi and Associates Advocates. They received the funds and hurriedly withdrew them in cash without adequate supporting documentation,” the dealer alleged.
The dealer further indicated that investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) established that Amadi was the registered proprietor of Amadi and Associates Advocates.
The businessman also alleged that the probe indicated that Amadi opened the account that received the money after she joined the Judiciary.
In the suit, Amadi's son was roped in following reports that he withdrew money in cash from the account without following the due process, raising a red flag.
Following their argument, the High Court froze Amadi's bank account, and others roped in the Ksh102 million case.
"An order be issued as against the 1st 2nd 3rd 5th and 6th defendants whether joint or severally to deposit in Court (within 14 calendar days of the Order being issued) (or in a joint interest earning account in the joint names of the plaintiff's advocates (and, or their nominees) the total sum of seven hundred and forty thousand two hundred and six United States Dollars and forty-eight cents (Ksh102 million)," the court documents read in part.
"Documents are a mandatory requirement under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti Money Laundering Act No 9 of 2009 of the Laws of the Republic of Kenya," it added.
Justice Majanja also ordered the accused persons to produce receipts of various transactions of bank accounts linked to the case.
Amadi, who swore in President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, is expected to lodge her defence to clear her name.
