The Supreme Court has allowed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to seize Ksh113.9 million in bank accounts and 7 multi-million prime properties belonging to former Nairobi County Finance Chief Officer Jimmy Kiamba.

This was after the commission’s successful litigation in a classic case of unexplained wealth at the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

During the court ruling, his family members and associates were ordered to surrender the same to the Government of Kenya for being proceeds of corruption and economic crimes.

In a ruling delivered by a Five-Judge Bench, the Supreme Court threw out Kiamba’s final attempt to appeal the Court of Appeal decision which had affirmed the High Court’s finding that Kiamba and his associates were in possession of unexplained wealth. 

Meanwhile, EACC, through its Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi, has welcomed the Supreme Court ruling.

This is after the Commission filed the recovery suit in the High Court after investigations established that Kiamba was in possession of wealth that was not commensurate to his known legitimate sources of income.

According to EACC, Kiamba could not reasonably have acquired such wealth otherwise than through corrupt conduct. 

“He failed to satisfactorily account for the disproportion when EACC gave him the opportunity thus triggering the forfeiture proceedings,” EACC noted in a statement.

The ruling was delivered by Supreme Court Judges Justice Mohamed Ibrahim, Justice Dr Smokin Wanjala, Lady Justice Njoki Ndung’u, Justice Isaac Lenaola, and Justice William Ouko.