‘Mathe wa Ngara’ Loses Sh13M to State after Court Declares it Proceeds of Crime
High Court judge Esther Maina has ruled to seize Ksh13.4 million found with Nancy Indoveria Kigunzi, also known as Mathe Wa Ngara. The court concluded that the money was gained through illegal means.
Justice Maina ordered Kigunzi to relinquish the funds to the state because she could not offer a credible account of how she obtained them.
The court wondered why Kigunzi kept the money in sacks at home instead of putting it in a bank account.
Additionally, the judge observed that cannabis sativa, a narcotic substance, was discovered at Kigunzi’s residence. This finding, along with the presence of people suspected of participating in drug trafficking, bolstered the court’s belief that the confiscated cash was associated with illegal activities.
“It is also not disputed that the police found three persons in the residence in circumstances that suggest that they were mules used in trafficking the illegal substance,” stated Justice Maina.
Justice Maina expressed certainty in her decision, affirming that the evidence showed a direct connection between money and criminal activity. While the exact crime is yet to be specified, the court decisively ruled that the Ksh13.4 million was a product of crime and should be forfeited to the Government of Kenya.
“That an order be and is hereby issued declaring that the sum of Ksh 13, 474, 520 found in the respondent’s residence but held at the Central Bank of Kenya is proceeds of crime and therefore liable for forfeiture to the Government of Kenya,” the judge stated.
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The court’s ruling is a result of an event on August 15, 2023, when police conducted a search at Kigunzi’s residence and found a large amount of money. Additionally, the officers confiscated marijuana and other illegal drugs during the raid.
To stop Kigunzi from misusing or interfering with the funds, the government requested preservation orders from the court. Officials claimed that Kigunzi planned to launder the money by moving it in large quantities outside the formal financial system.
To support their argument, the police presented evidence indicating a money laundering operation intended to hide the source and movement of illegal funds. Consequently, on August 24 of last year, the court issued preservation orders to keep the money in the government’s possession.
Although Kigunzi managed to avoid capture at first, she was ultimately arrested in downtown Nairobi and taken to the DCI headquarters. This arrest came after Teresia Wanjiru and three others were taken into custody, leading to suspicions that Wanjiru might be the notorious Mathe wa Ngara.
Wanjiru mentioned that she got a call from the genuine Mathe wa Ngara, with the help of a police officer.
Kigunzi’s reputation as a drug dealer goes back to 2018 when the National Intelligence Service (NIS) first recognized her involvement.
Despite earlier arrests, she reportedly escaped capture until her latest detention.
‘Mathe wa Ngara’ Loses Sh13M to State after Court Declares it Proceeds of Crime