A former government official at the Ministry of Treasury lost four apartments, multi-million shillings stashed in bank accounts, five high-end cars, a residential home, nine parcels of land and four apartments in Nairobi. The High Court ordered the government to seize Patrick Ochieno's property.
Ochieno was a former chief accountant at the Treasury who was accused of receiving a portion of the Ksh70 billion tenders in the Anglo-Leasing scandal.
The accused worked as chief accountant at the then Ministry of Finance (now Treasury) between 2003 and 2007 before moving to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Justice Mumbi Ngugi ruled that the accused and his associates failed to convince the court to suspend the government from seizing the estate.
Among those listed as his accomplices in the case and accused of benefiting from the tenders were his firm's associates, wife and children.
The judge also declared that the former accountant could not explain how he acquired his wealth.
"I have considered the averments and submissions of the applicants and I find that they have not demonstrated that they will suffer substantial losses if the orders sought are not granted.
"I am constrained to find that the assets, the subject of this, are unexplained assets" the judge ruled.
The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) argued that the property was acquired illegally and that Ochieno's salary was not equivalent to his assets. Court papers detailed that he was on a monthly salary of Ksh54,000.
By 2008, he was alleged to have acquired properties worth over Ksh80 million reportedly registered in his kins names.
Ochieno argued that he purchased the apartments and lands between 1999 and 2000 from his salary and allowances and also purchased his house on a government scheme.
Others were acquired from proceeds of his businesses in the hospitality sector and loans from banks. This was the first seizure of property in the Anglo Leasing scandal with EACC and Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) terming it a milestone in the case.
