High Court freezes accounts linked to Wamatangi

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi/FILE

The High Court has issued orders freezing bank accounts linked to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, his wife, children, and 10 other individuals, in connection with a separate Sh813 million civil recovery case filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), pending the hearing of the suit.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Benjamin Mwikya noted that when the matter first appeared before the trial judge, there were no preservation orders in place.

“In my mind, the preservation orders were not in force when this matter appeared before the trial judge. Had they been in place, the court would have addressed the merits of the prayers in the application dated November 4, 2025,” Justice Mwikya said.

The judge agreed with submissions by the EACC that the circumstances surrounding the case had since changed, warranting interim intervention by the court.

“I therefore agree with the plaintiff’s counsel that the circumstances have changed, and in the interest of justice, I grant prayer to the plaintiff’s application until February 4, 2026, when this matter will be placed before the court,” he ruled.

The prayers sought relate to preservation orders freezing several bank accounts held by the governor, his immediate family members and other individuals and entities named in the suit, pending the hearing and determination of the asset recovery case.

The EACC argued that without such orders, there was a risk that the funds linked to the civil recovery case could be moved or spent, affecting the purpose of the suit.

The orders were issued against the backdrop of an ongoing procedural dispute after Governor Wamatangi applied for the recusal of the judge initially handling the matter.

The recusal application, filed late last year, had effectively stalled substantive proceedings before the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division of the High Court in Nairobi, with the defence insisting that no other applications should be entertained until that issue is resolved.

The EACC suit, filed on October 31, 2025, seeks the recovery of Sh813.1 million, which the commission claims represents funds allegedly arising from corruption and unjust enrichment in connection with the award of road construction tenders in Kiambu County.

Apart from restitution, the commission is also seeking permanent injunctions and preservation orders to secure the disputed funds held in various bank accounts associated with companies and individuals under investigation.

The commission maintains that the interim freezing of the accounts is necessary to safeguard public funds while the court determines the recusal application and the substantive asset recovery case.

Governor Wamatangi has previously maintained that he is being unfairly targeted and has described the intended charges as politically motivated. He has also denied having any shareholding interests in several of the companies under investigation.

The matter is scheduled to come up for mention on February 4, 2026, for further directions.