Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua's woes continue to pile up following a tussle between a firm associated with the lawmaker and a Chinese company, China Petroleum.
A report by the Business Daily indicated that the High Court barred Tripple Eight Construction Company, associated with the MP, from charging or selling a building in Nairobi West over a Ksh 21 million debt row.
The Chinese firm claimed that it had won a case against the lawmaker's company in 2013 and was set to be paid Ksh10 million which has since accrued interest to total Ksh21 million.
The apartment is located in Nairobi West’s Kisauni Road.
In his ruling, Justice David Majanja confirmed that a copy of the title showed that Tripple Eight was registered as the official proprietor but acknowledged that the ownership was contested.
“I do not see any reason why the Judgment Creditor (China Petroleum) should be denied the fruits of its judgment by the issue of a prohibitory order.
"Since the subject property is unencumbered, a party prejudiced by attachment is entitled to apply for interim order of relief in the pending case,” stated the judge.
In his defence, the MP disclosed that the building still had another case in the High Court and the Chinese firm knew about it.
A lawyer representing China Petroleum argued that Triple Eight only owned the building and that the Chinese firm was seeking to protect it.
This comes barely two months after the controversial lawmaker was implicated after investigations unearthed an alleged Ksh5.8 billion payout to him over a period of seven years.
At the time, court documents showed a big chunk of the legislator's controversial wealth originated from payments he received from companies and government corporations.
The Ksh5.8 billion, according to Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), had originated from companies associated with Gachagua that reportedly offered services to ministries, state agencies and County governments.
Some of the funds were allegedly paid to the lawmaker by the Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Health, Bungoma County Government and Mathira Constituency Development Fund.
The others are State Department of Special Planning, Nyeri County Government and National Irrigation Board.
In June, bank accounts associated with the MP containing Ksh200 million were frozen for three months pending the hearing of a case by the ARA, that had accused him of money laundering.
