In July 2020, a report by The Sentry revealed that Kenya is among country’s whose real estate sector is highly used for laundering proceeds of crime.
The Sentry stated that money from war torn countries especially South Sudan finds its way into the mainstream financial system as top government officials are involved.
It is, therefore, no surprise that a government official that earns Sh120k per month, a mere Sh1.44 million per annum can afford to purchase a house at Sh25 million in cash. You can guess the source of money to be looting, enabling looting, accepting bribes or enabling ‘safe passage’ of laundered money from war-torn countries such as Somalia and South Sudan into Kenya.
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Joseph Wafula, the Chief Economist at Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and embattled EPRA’s Chief Executive Officer Pavel Oimeke both bought houses in Bandar I Villas, for Sh25 million in cash last year.
Mr Wafula, with a mere Sh120k per month, also owns a Toyota Prado, Toyota Landcruiser V8 engine, a Benz E350, a double cabin pick up, tractors, and a humongous mansion in Kitale (Trans Nzoia County) complete with a swimming pool, and flats in Utawala and Ruai.
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There’s also a connection to the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Dr Irungu Macharia who conspired with Wafula to falsely reject Ashirami Oil tanker on claims of substandard oil, with the intention to reap millions in bribes.
Asharami Synergy Ltd, was turned away from the Mombasa port on April 1 2020 when its fuel was rejected by Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC). A source at KPC said that after tests, the quality of the fuel did not match the paperwork presented by the firm.
It was a lie so as to fix the oil firm that sources its products from Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco), one of the World’s best-known producers of quality oil. Asharami wanted a non-biased firm other than the corrupt Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) to conduct a retest; however, that was not accepted by the corrupt masters of looting Kenya as they knew what they had done.
“Such a test will provide an outcome that will be acceptable to all,” Asharami said.
The matter is in international arbitration thereby Kenya risks losing billions if found culpable.
They used the exact same strategy on an Oryx Energies consignment, that was sorted out in a manner that suggests money changed hands.
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How can small people like us buy houses with the stolen money in the market?
Where is Asset recovery agency in all this?
