This archive report was first published on 15 June 2021.
June 15, 2021
Businessman Peter Muriithi, owner of Goldenscape Ltd, has seen his properties frozen by a court order over allegations of money laundering.
High Court judge James Wakiaga issued a preservation order on Muriithi and his companies, including Goldenscape Trees Africa Limited, Goldenscape Greenhouse Limited, and Silverstone Properties Limited, from transferring several parcels of land in Ngong and Rumuruti in Laikipia County.
The parcels of land, totaling 15, are registered under Muriithi's name or under the names of his companies, and the court has directed the respective land registrars to register a caveat against the titles of each of the land parcels.
The court has also barred Muriithi from transferring or selling five motor vehicles and six motorcycles.
Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) moved to court seeking to prohibit Muriithi and his companies from transferring the properties, pending the determination of a case the agency has filed.
ARA suspects that the properties are proceeds of crime and that Muriithi and his companies were involved in a suspected scheme of money laundering using funds from members of the public.
The agency told the court that preliminary investigations established that Muriithi and his companies were involved in a suspected scheme of money laundering using funds from members of the public, which were later transferred to bank accounts belonging to companies and business entities owned by Muriithi.
