This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On July 15, 2020, Justice Mumbi Ngugi dismissed an application by Anthony Ng'ang'a Mwaura to unfreeze his bank accounts and release his seized motor vehicles.
The application was made by Mwaura, a businessman accused of being a conduit to siphon money from City Hall by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
According to the court, Mwaura failed to demonstrate how his business was hurting following the freezing of his eight accounts and the confiscation of his nine vehicles.
Mr. Mwaura and Ms. Rose Njeri, the directors of Hardi Enterprises Ltd and Toddy Civil Engineering Company, argued that the freezing of the accounts was hurting operations of the companies, as they were carrying out projects with several counties and the national government.
However, the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) maintained that the companies made suspicious cash deposits and withdrawals, intra and inter-bank transfers within the same banks and others, making it believe that the monies are proceeds of crime.
On November 22, 2018, the agency said Hardi received Sh102,414,130 through its Equity Bank from City Hall and split the money into five branches, while some of the money were later transferred to Toddy Civil Engineering, and some were wired to Mr. Sonko's account.
