Former Nairobi Finance boss wants assets freeze lifted

Justice Joseph Sergon has directed that Former Nairobi County Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Kiamba’s file be placed before High Court Principal Judge Richard Mwongo to issue appropriate orders and direction to clear the confusion caused by contradicting orders by different judges of the High Court.

Kiamba, through his lawyer Philip Nyachoti, had filed a complaint that after Justice Mbogholi Msagha ordered freezing of his account but Justice Ochieng allowed him temporary orders to access a specific amount of money from his account but before the orders got effective, EACC rushed to court before Justice Njuguna who had the account refrozen.

Kiamba now says that the contradicting orders have been issued three times leaving him confused.

He is, therefore, seeking the lifting of earlier court orders freezing his bank accounts.

Kiamba claims that the court injunctions which froze his account exposed him to suffering as he is unable to access basic goods and services.

On their part, EACC maintain that freezing orders are rightfully in force.

Kiamba, who is facing abuse of office charges and is out on a cash bail of 2 million shillings, is facing allegations of stealing more than Ksh 400 million in twelve months from the Nairobi City County.

The asset recovery agency in conjunction with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) froze Kiamba’s accounts on suspicion that he was living way beyond his modest salary of Ksh 85,000.

Kiamba’s vast real estate includes two mansionettes in Nairobi’s South C Estate, a plush town house in Kileleshwa, four apartments in Kilimani and eight plots of land in Muthaiga, Mavoko and Machakos.

He also owns a fleet of six cars.

Kiamba, whose net salary was in the range of between forty five and fifty three million shillings, earned five point eight million shillings after tax, from 2009 to 2015.

The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives also discovered that he held nine bank accounts in five banks where daily deposits were made, each running into millions.