The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has denied reports that it suffered a blow after High Court Judge Hedwig Ong’undi on Tuesday ordered release of property seized from former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, who is under investigation for alleged multi-billion corruption deals during his tenure at City Hall.
Media reports that indicated that the EACC was to return the property within 72 hours and file an inventory in court of seized property and what has been returned to him.
However, in a tweet on Wednesday, the EACC clarified that the order only covers property not related to its investigation, adding other assets would be returned to the embattled governor.
While issuing a conservatory order prohibiting further execution of a search warrant issued on September 19 or any other search warrant pending the hearing and determination of a suit filed by Kidero, Lady Justice Ong’udi ordered that the anti-graft body returns any searched and seized properties which have been found to be unrelated to the matter at hand within 72 hours.
“A formally prepared inventory shall be signed by all concerned parties with a copy to each of them and the court,” she ordered.
The commission has been probing the former governor for alleged embezzlement of public funds while at the helm at City Hall and at Mumias Sugar Company where he served as Managing Director.
It avers it is investigating properties worth Ksh 9 billion linked to Dr Kidero and spread across the country, mostly in land and buildings.
In the matter concerning Dr. Evans Kidero, EACC would like to clarify that as per the determination made by the Courts, seized properties UNRELATED to the matter will be released.@NationBreaking @TheStarBreaking @citizentvkenya @StandardKenya @KTNNewsDesk @Njatatv @BreakingNewsKE pic.twitter.com/INJDpVJUTv
— EACC (@EACCKenya) November 7, 2018
But Dr Kidero has accused EACC of over-valuing his assets and falsely listing him as the owner of some prime properties that do not belong to him in order to make the courts part of a harassment campaign against him.
He has denied ownership of Yala Towers in Nairobi’s central business district, 50 rental units in Nairobis Kilimani suburb, a house in Lavington, seven apartments, a town house in Kisumu and eight vehicles.
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The former governor claims that 15 of the 75 properties the EACC has linked him to are owned by other individuals.
While he admits owning 60 of the properties the commission has listed as his, the former governor argues that the property is worth Ksh 563.9 million and not Ksh 9 billion as EACC claims.
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