BY SAM ALFAN.
A Nairobi businessman has forfeited millions of assets including cars, money and a five-storey building in Mlolongo to the state after the High Court ruled that they are proceeds of crime linked to trafficking in humans.
Peter Mugi Kamau lost four vehicles, money in three bank accounts and the apartment in Mlolongo after the High Court ruled that they are proceeds of crime.
High Court judge Esther Maina said the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) had proved the properties were proceeds of illegal business and are therefore liable for forfeiture to the state. The property in Mlolongo has been registered in the name of his spouse Consolata Ndunge Musau.
“Accordingly, judgement is entered for the Assets Recovery Agency against Peter Kamau, Consolata Ndunge Musau and Hassan Ahmed Sheikh and the property are forfeited to the state,” the judge said.
Kamau was arrested on the 7th October, 2020 in Huruma area, in Nairobi on suspicion of trafficking in persons.
He was subsequently charged before a Kiambu court on 13th October, 2020 with trafficking in Persons.
During the arrest, a search was conducted at a house Kamua had rented within Umoja Estate, Mwihoko area in Kiambu County and 22 Ethiopians, believed to be victims of trafficking in persons were arrested.
The police also seized a motor vehicle registration number KCY 752K Toyota Succeed, which was used to ferry the Ethiopians.
The court heard that the motor vehicle is registered in the name of the Ahmed Sheikh but he did not defend the case even after being served with court hearing.
The vehicles was also forfeited to the state.
The agency told the court that they investigated Kamau’s bank accounts and established that the funds were obtained from the illegally trafficking in persons which is an offence.
It was further added that Consolata admitted receiving money from Kamau which she used in the development of the five-storey apartment.
The court heard that Kamau contributed to the construction from the business of trafficking in persons and the court ruled that the property was developed with proceeds of crime.
The agency said Kamau received deposits from several Ethiopians through MPesa deposits and the money was used to facilitate the movement of the victims and their accomdation.
Investigations established that the victims of illegal human trafficking are transported through undesignated porous borders between Kenya and Ethiopia in groups by Kamau using his agents and were harboured in various hide-outs within Kenya and subsequently transported to various international destinations such as Tanzania and South Africa.
Kamau facilitated the movement of the victims by paying for their transportation, food and temporary accommodation in various safe houses littered along the corridor from Moyale to the Kenya/Tanzania boarder and the payments used to facilitate the movement of the victims are discernible in the Mpesa transactions of Kamau’s mobile phone account.
