Kenyan Court Blocks Sale of MCA's Land and Cars in Graft Case

A Kenyan court has declined to lift restrictions on property belonging to an Embu county assembly member, known locally as an MCA, upholding orders that prevent him from selling land and six vehicles.

The restrictions were secured by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya's primary body tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences involving public officials.

According to the commission, the assets in question — comprising land and six cars — are valued at Sh111.5 million. The EACC alleges that the property may be linked to graft, the illicit acquisition of wealth through abuse of public office.

In order to safeguard the property while investigations and legal proceedings continue, the EACC had applied for and been granted preservation orders. Such orders are commonly used in corruption cases to prevent suspects from disposing of assets that may later be subject to forfeiture.

The MCA subsequently sought to have the freeze lifted, arguing that the restrictions should be removed so that he could regain control over his property. However, the court rejected this application, meaning the preservation orders remain in force.

The ruling means the MCA cannot sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of the land or vehicles for the time being, pending further developments in the case.

This case forms part of a broader pattern of enforcement action by the EACC against public officials suspected of corruption. Kenyan law allows the commission to pursue the recovery of assets believed to have been acquired through illegal means, even before a criminal conviction is secured.

The preservation orders will remain in place until the court reaches a final determination on the matter, though no timeline for that decision has been specified. The case underscores the continuing scrutiny faced by elected officials in Kenya over the sources of their personal wealth.