Court freezes assets of prominent Bishop in Nairobi

A High Court in Nairobi has issued orders to freeze assets of a Bishop who made millions of shillings from killing wildlife and selling their trophies.

Lady Justice Diana Kavedza of the Nairobi Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division on March 6, 2024 issued an order freezing ownership of a Mercedes Benz registration KBE 416Y and a block of residential flats built on prime land within Allsops area in Ruaraka; belonging to Jackson Mbugua Burugu.

Burugu is a prominent Nairobi-based evangelist who is commonly referred to as ‘Bishop’.

The Bishop together with his accomplices; David Ndiritu, Luso Lesitima and Daniel Mboche are notorious for accessing Oljogi conservancy in Laikipia, where they hunt and kill wildlife for their trophies.

During the hearing of the case, the court was told that Burugu laundered millions of money from the sale of wildlife trophies and sandalwood harvesting.

Meanwhile, Bishop together with David Ndiritu, Daniel Kibe Mboche and Jackson Luso Lesitima have another ongoing case before Nanyuki Law Courts where they are facing a charge of dealing in Wildlife trophies contrary to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013.

According to the charge sheet, Burugu and his co-accused were arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers on October 6, 2021 at Enasoit area, within the expansive Oljogi Conservancy in Laikipia county.

During the incident, they were arrested while in possession of 70kgs raw ivory with a street value of Ksh7 million.