BY SAM ALFAN.
A state agency wants 11 parcels of land and motor vehicles belonging to suspected drug trafficker Nancy Indoveria Kigunzu, popularly known as Mathee wa Ngara forfeited to the government.
Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) also sought for an order for rental income collected from properties , which have since been frozen pending the conclusion of the case, declared proceeds of crime and forfeited to the State.
ARA wants the properties in Juja, Thika and Vihiga registered under Indoveria, Brince Sande Odanga, George Inguti, Judith Makungu, Bernard Manase and Scholastica Wambui Kibathi declared proceeds of crime and forfeited to the state.
“Investigations further established that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the assets/properties are obtained through the illegitimate trade in Narcotic drug substances,” the agency said in the application pending before the High Court.
The agency says Indoveria is the beneficial owner of the assets, which are believed to have been acquired from or are profits or benefits of proceeds of crime and used for the commission of crime.
Other persons named in the case are either mules, associates and her close allies and under whose names she has registered some of the assets as her conduits.
ARA said following her arrest within Nairobi County with suspicion of the offence of trafficking Narcotic Drugs, the agency commenced investigations to recover the proceeds of crime accrued to Indoveria through the illegitimate trafficking and trading of narcotic drugs.
On 15th August 2023, the agency said officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations arrested the other suspects who are believed to be mules, associates or close relatives of Indoveria.
The suspects arrested include Eugene Otiende Jumba, Hillary Shisiali Jumbo and Teresia Wanjiru Mwihaki.
During the arrests, a search was conducted on the residence of Indoveria and a total of 30 bags containing dry green material weighing 622 Kilograms suspected to be cannabis sativa together Sh. 13,474,520 believed to be proceeds of crime, was seized which has since forfeited by the Court.
On 23rd August 2023 the Agency opened an Inquiry File No. 84/2023 to investigate and inquire into any assets, benefits and profits that Indoveria acquired from the illegitimate trade of Narcotics Drugs.
Again on the 8th and 9th of August, 2024 at Mastore area along Juja-Juja Farm Road in Juja Sub County within Kiambu County, officers drawn from DCI Headquarters while acting on information about persons involved in drug trafficking and distribution arrested more suspects.
The suspects arrested at Georgina Apartments which is owned and managed by Indoveria included George Inguti, David Ochieng okoth and Christopher Odipo Ochieng.
They were charged with the offence of trafficking Narcotic Drugs contrary to section 4(a) (ii) and 4B (4) & 4B (5) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances (control) Act no.4 of 1994 in the Senior Principal Magistrates Court at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport vide criminal case No MCCR/E102 of 2024.
At the time of arrest, the said David Ochieng Okoth was cleaning motor vehicle registration number KDQ905H Toyota Sienta which was believed to have delivered a consignment of Narcotic Drugs to one Nancy Indovera Kigunzu.
The Agency established through investigations that the assets specified in the application are proceeds of crime obtained from the illegitimate trade in Narcotic Drugs contrary to the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances (control) Act no.4 of 1994, Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2009.
The investigations have established that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the assets were obtained through the illegitimate trade in Narcotic drug substances hence proceeds of crime.
The investigations established that the assets in issue are proceeds of crime obtained from the illegitimate trade in Narcotic Drugs.
The investigations further established that Indoveria acquired massive assets/properties using proceeds from the illegitimate trade in Narcotic drugs and registered under her name and in the name of her proxies so as to conceal and disguise the source of funds used to procure the said assets.
ARA added that investigations established that the assets/properties were unlawfully acquired hence proceeds of crime.
