More than Sh108.2 million linked to a 21-year-old Nairobi Technical Institute student and an associate has been frozen over suspicion that it is proceeds of crime, bringing the total amount blocked to Sh210 million.
High Court judge Esther Maina ordered the freezing of $631,071 (Sh71.2 million) at Equity Bank and Sh37 million in the same bank in the name of Tebby Wambui Kago.
The court further allowed the freezing of Sh5 million at Stanbic Bank in Ms Felesta Nyamathira Njoroge’s account, adding to the $914,967 (Sh102 million) frozen last month.
The money was wired to the two by Ms Njoroge’s Belgian boyfriend Marc De Mesel in August amid suspicions of the source of the millions from the cryptocurrency dealer.
The Belgian had indicated in the declaration documents that Ms Njoroge was “free to use the money to secure financial security for our future children”.
Documents filed in court indicate that Ms Kago is an associate of Ms Njoroge, with both receiving the Sh210 million in eight batches over a period of two weeks.
Tuesday, the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) told the court that investigations established that the suspect funds were received from the same source, Mr De Mesel, and distributed in the same manner, to various accounts belonging to the two women.
“The pattern of transaction in the accounts in issue and the activities of one De Mesel Marc and the Respondents depicts money laundering activities and this Honourable Court ought to issue the orders sought,” the agency said. BY DAILY NATION