The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has moved to court seeking to recover wealth worth over Ksh1.2 billion from a senior employee in the Ministry of Lands.
The officer, Mr Nicholas Owino Ochiel, was first employed at the Ministry of Lands and Settlement as a valuer in 1996. He worked as the principal valuer in the same ministry from 2012 to 2016. He is currently the senior assistant director of valuation, at the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning since 2016.
According to EACC, Ochiel used his position to enter into contracts with private entities associated with him for services he was employed and paid to provide at the ministry.
“He is reasonably suspected of corrupt conduct by using privileged official information at the Ministry for financial gain through companies associated with him namely; Ternic Valuers Limited and Ternic Enterprises Limited thus compromising his public or official duties in favour of his personal interests,” EACC alleged.
EACC flags Ochiel’s wife, brother
The watchdog also says that Ochiel used his close associates his spouse Violet Terry Muthoni Maina and brother Richard Omondi Ochiel as conduits to receive, hold or otherwise conceal funds acquired through illicit means.
“Following the investigations, the Commission instituted a civil recovery case for Unexplained Assets of a value of Ksh1,206,851,274.11 against his known legitimate source of income namely salary and allowances amounting to Ksh6,367,644.00. The assets comprise landed properties, motor vehicles and amounts transacted through bank accounts,” EACC added.
Among the targeted wealth includes Ksh467.4 million transacted through M-Pesa and bank, land properties worth Ksh694.7 million and motor vehicles worth Ksh10.5 million.
Ochiel owns Ternic Court Apartments at Thome Estate valued at Ksh130 million, undeveloped land off Parklands Road worth Ksh100 million, commercial building along Kisumu Busia Road worth Ksh190 million, and several commercial and residential houses in Kisumu.
EACC has now applied in court to have the wealth held by Ochiel, his wife and his brother frozen pending a hearing and determination of the matter.
