Kenya seizes millions from Vice Presidential candidate

A Kenyan court on Thursday ordered vice presidential candidate Rigathi Gachagua to refund about $1.7 million to the state.

Court determined that the funds were proceeds of corruption. Gachagua's lawyers had argued that the funds were payment for the supply of goods and services to the government but High Court Judge Esther Maina ruled that there was no evidence to prove the claim.

Gachagua is deputy president William Ruto's running mate. He said the judgement was intended to undermine his candidacy in the Aug. 9 election, before calling it a 'sham trial'.

He vowed to appeal the ruling.

Gachagua's accounts were frozen in 2020 following a request by the government's Asset Recovery Agency.

The funds came from the Kenya Informal Settlements Programme, the State Department for Special Planning, the Ministry of Health, and several county governments.