High Court judge John Onyiego ordered banks to transfer the money to the Criminal Assets Recovery Fund. FILE PHOTO NMG The State has frozen Sh6.48 million belonging to four former managers at the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) after the High Court ruled that the cash is proceeds of crime.
High Court judge John Onyiego ordered the Standard Chartered Bank, Cooperative Bank, Family Bank, Equity Bank to transfer the money to the Criminal Assets Recovery Fund.
The accounts belong to Mr Felix Obonsi Ongaga (Director Corporate Services), Mr Daniel Stephen Ouma (Finance Manager), Mr Peter Mukangu Mwangi (accountant) and Mr Antony Nyaga Mwangi (cashier).
“Having considered the evidence presented before this court … the amounts listed against the respective bank accounts be and is hereby declared proceeds of crime and liable to forfeiture to the State,” justice Onyiego ruled.
The four former employees were jointly charged between June 2, 2016 and July 6, 2017 for fraudulent withdrawals from the authority’s bank accounts.
Citi Bank raised a red flag after noting several withdrawals of below Sh500,000.
The withdrawal were deliberate to avoid involvement of the ICTA Chief executive whose authorisation is needed for amounts exceeding half a is million.
In their responses none of the accused denied authorising or withdrawing the monies, but generally denied any wrongdoing.
They, however, failed to prove how the money was spent.