EACC Seizes Ksh 91 Million in Unexplained Assets from Former Machakos Official

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has obtained High Court approval to seize assets worth Ksh 91,202,892 from former Machakos County Executive Committee Member, Urbanus Wambua Musyoka, after he failed to account for his substantial wealth. Musyoka could not justify how he accumulated this large sum in the limited time he served at Machakos County, leading the court to suspect these assets were acquired through corrupt means during his term with the county government from January 2014 to July 2021.

Justice P.J. Otieno's ruling, handed down on Monday, wraps up one of two asset recovery cases involving Musyoka's unaccounted-for wealth and alleged corruption proceeds, amounting to over Ksh 540 million. Among the assets seized are a residential property on L.R. No. Kibauni/Kamuthwa/168, valued at Ksh 80,251,815, and Ksh 10,951,077 found in his accounts at Co-operative Bank (Account No. 01116005777600) and Equity Bank (Account No. 0670191770235).

The EACC initiated legal proceedings after Musyoka, previously the CEC for Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperative Development, could not reconcile the significant difference between his declared assets and legitimate income. Musyoka, along with others implicated, was arrested in November 2023 and faces charges including conflict of interest, illegal acquisition of public assets, and procurement fraud in the Machakos Anti-Corruption Court. They have pleaded not guilty, and the trial is ongoing.