By Sarah Omondi
The anti-graft agency has filed a suit before Milimani court in Nairobi seeking to recover Sh1.2 billion worth of unexplained assets from a Senior Assistant Director of Valuation at the Ministry of Lands.
This follows reports that Mr Nicholas Owino Owiel had allegedly accumulated wealth between January 2003 and November 2018 which was not commensurate to his known sources of income.
An investigation by EACC established that Mr Owino was first employed as a valuer in the Ministry in 1996 and six years later elevated to Principal valuer, a position he held until 2016 before taking over as Senior Assistant Director Valuation which he currently holds.
In 15 years’ time, investigators say, the officer exploited his position to confer benefits to himself by among others entering into contracts with private entities for services he was employed and paid by the State to provide.
He reportedly using priviledged official data from the Ministry for financial gain through Ternic Valuers Limited and Ternic Enterprises Limited associated with him thereby compromising his official duties for his personal interests.
Mr Owino is also said to have use his relatives, wife and brother, as conduits to receive, hold and or conceal the proceeds from corruption.
EACC, following the probe, initiated a civil recovery case for the unexplained assets against his own salary and allowances amounting to Sh6.3 million.
The assets include land, motor vehicles and money transacted through bank accounts.
The assets are Sh497 million wired through bank and Mpesa, Sh694 million properties and motor vehicles worth Sh10.5 million.
