Thread by @mmnjug

Benson Musila Muteti a senior official at @KeRRA_Ke has defended the source of half a billion shillings in 22 bank accounts, saying his wealth is not built from kickbacks and bribes from road contractors. - @BD_Africa

Benson Musila Muteti maintains he accumulated his wealth from running businesses including bars, hardware stores and schools, with some of the properties acquired before he joined Kenya Rural Roads Agency @KeRRA_Ke in the 1990s.

.@EACCKenya has accused Mr Muteti of getting kickbacks from contractors and awarding State tenders to a company associated with his brother.

.@EACCKenya said multiple deposits were made into Mr Muteti’s 19 bank accounts at KCB and an account each at Cooperative Bank, NBK and Absa Bank, between February 2009 and December 2018.

But Mr Muteti told High Court judge Esther Maina on Wednesday that @EACCKenya had not singled out any of his properties that was acquired through corruption.

Through his lawyer Migos Ogamba, Mr Muteti said other than his salary at KeRRA where he was the Coast regional manager, he had other sources of income.

The lawyer said his client had demonstrated that he acquired most of the assets as early as 1994 through instalments.

"The evidence we have furnished to the court has not been challenged" - lawyer

.@EACCKenya initially targeted more than Sh1.03B from Mr Muteti but the roads official satisfactorily explained properties with a cumulative value of Sh78.7M.

EACC says the bank accounts and the real estate property in Nairobi, Makueni and Kilifi counties could not have been acquired with his monthly salary of Sh390,000, arguing that he was a beneficiary of kickbacks from road contractors.

Other than the money in four banks, the EACC has applied to seize 27 properties, shares in multiple companies and schools linked to Mr Muteti, his spouse Zipporah Mwongeli and their companies, saying they are part of unexplained wealth worth Sh952.3 million.

But Mr Muteti told the court yesterday that @EACCKenya has not identified a single contractor, individual and or company who bribed him to get tenders from @KeRRA_Ke.

He said although investigations were ongoing, he should not be deprived of property because of mere suspicion.

He pleaded with the court to lift the order freezing the assets. He said he had no plans of selling the properties and should the court be convinced to uphold the freezing order, it should be on specific properties and not a blanket order.

He said some of the assets, including seven properties in Nairobi, two vehicles and shares in two insurance companies, were acquired through salaries and emoluments and proceeds from existing businesses and investments.

The EACC on its part maintained that Mr Muteti awarded contracts to companies linked to him in conflict of interest and contrary to the procurement laws.

.@EACCKenya through lawyer Pius Nyoike, said once money was paid to his company, which was being run by a relative, it was wired to Mr Muteti’s accounts. The lawyer told the court that the properties were at risk of being sold if the freezing orders are lifted.

The properties targeted from Mr Musila and his wife include seven apartments, eight commercial and residential plots, two schools -- Mumbe Junior Academy and Mumbe Girls High School -- as well as shares worth Sh2.24M, four vehicles and a hardware store worth Sh41M.

Justice Maina will decide on January 27 whether to lift the freezing order.

A senior official at @KeRRA_Ke has 22 bank accounts and is fighting to defend his Kes500M wealth from @EACCKenya bit.ly/3qqH7dr by @BD_Africa