Former Machakos Official Faces Asset Seizure in Sh91M Corruption Case

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recently secured a court order to confiscate unexplained assets valued at Sh91,202,892 from former Machakos County Executive Committee (CEC) Member, Urbanus Wambua Musyoka. This order, issued by Milimani High Court Judge Patrick Otieno, followed evidence indicating that Musyoka may have accumulated these assets through corrupt practices, conflicts of interest, and fraudulent dealings during his tenure with the Machakos County Government from January 2014 to July 2021.

The assets include a residential property worth Sh80,251,815 and a sum of Sh10,951,077 found in two bank accounts under Musyoka's name. EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi welcomed the ruling, noting it as part of a broader recovery effort targeting Sh548,250,106 in alleged unexplained wealth and corruption proceeds linked to Musyoka. In addition to this confiscation, a second lawsuit is pending, which aims to recover Sh457,047,214.80 purportedly gained through fraudulent tender payments to companies reportedly connected to Musyoka's family and proxies.

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The Commission pursued legal action after Musyoka allegedly failed to justify the discrepancy between his legitimate income and the significant wealth he amassed. Investigations suggest that between 2014 and 2021, Musyoka profited from fraudulent tenders awarded to four companies, which collectively received Sh457,047,214.80 in suspected proceeds of crime. EACC found that Musyoka held controlling interests in these companies and was the sole signatory on their bank accounts.

Furthermore, EACC discovered that these companies did not remit taxes to the Kenya Revenue Authority, resulting in an outstanding tax liability of Sh181,722,145. In October 2021, the Commission issued Statutory Notices to Musyoka, requiring him to clarify the source of the funds deposited in his accounts and the funding for property valued at Sh80,251,815. Musyoka’s response, submitted on November 3, 2021, failed to satisfy the EACC, leading to the filing of two civil suits aimed at recovering the assets as proceeds of corruption.

In addition to asset recovery, EACC recommended criminal charges against Musyoka and his associates. In November 2023, they were arrested and arraigned before the Machakos Anti-Corruption Court, where they pleaded not guilty to charges including conflict of interest, unlawful acquisition of public property, non-compliance with procurement laws, fraudulent procurement practices, and falsifying documents. The case remains ongoing.

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