Details of a junior Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) manager’s wealth have left the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives in dismay.
One Joseph Chege Gikonyo has been working with the tax collector since 1998, but his wealth could have your entire village under his payroll.
Detectives have stated that Gikonyo has Ksh615 Million worth of unexplained wealth.
[caption caption="Mr Joseph Chege Gikonyo(PHOTO/COURTESY)"]
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This is despite the fact that EACC found him to have only earned Ksh45 Million over the years he’s been in public service in salaries and bonuses from his tea farming.
On Friday, EACC filed an application to have Mr Gikonyo’s accounts frozen after he declared assets valued at Sh65 Million and could not make known his other sources of income.
The KRA manager has registered property in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties valued at Sh355 million, and cash deposits of at least Sh399 million in various accounts.
EACC held that it is no doubt Gikonyo’s wealth was from proceeds of crime given his salary was only recently at Ksh119,000.
At the Coast, Gikonyo has two plots in Nyali valued at Ksh125 million, two parcels of land in Shanzu worth Ksh26 million and a lavish house in Kilifi town valued at Sh27 million.
According to The Standard newspaper, Gikonyo’s other property in the largely toured region includes a Sh40 million house in Mombasa town, land in Kwale valued at Sh2.5 million and another plot in Mtwapa valued at Sh2 million.
In Nairobi alone, Gikonyo owns 13 plots in Sosian estate valued at Sh75 million, several flats in Umoja estate valued at Sh33.5 million, a house at Greenspan estate valued at Sh12 million and a Ksh9 million house in Vescon estate.
When he started working with KRA, Gikonyo could take home a basic salary of Ksh24,369 as a junior employee and he currently works as a KRA manager in Eldoret.
Most of his suspect sources of income are numerous cash transactions to his Mpesa account from a number of clearing and forwarding companies.
“During the period under investigation, the defendant's known sources of income were cumulative salaries totaling Sh14 million, proceeds from sale of tea totaling Sh4 million, profit from sale of property of Sh21 million and cumulative sacco loans of Sh5 million,” EACC told the courts on Friday.
Scrutiny of Gikonyo’s mobile phone number revealed that he has received a total of Ksh43, 913,116 through mobile money transfers sent to him by directors and managers of clearing and forwarding companies.
