Court orders forfeiture of Sh426.8mn in assets linked to ex-Kilifi land registrar

The High Court in Kenya has ordered the seizure of state assets valued at Sh426.85 million belonging to former Kilifi Principal Land Registrar Felix Mecha Nyakundi, his wife Stellah Nyaboke Otwori, and companies linked to the family. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) announced this decision on Friday following a court ruling on September 18, 2026.

The court found that Nyakundi and his associates failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the source of their wealth, which far exceeded their known legitimate income. The assets to be forfeited include cash in bank accounts and M-Pesa, properties in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kilifi, vehicles, and additional cash recovered during a search.

The forfeited assets total Sh233,581,982.16 in bank and M-Pesa funds, Sh177.11 million in prime properties, Sh11,899,999.88 in vehicles, and Sh4.26 million in cash. Among the properties are the Bantu Hotel in Nairobi and a penthouse in Mombasa. The EACC stated that between January 2013 and March 2024, Nyakundi and his associates acquired assets worth a total of Sh771,893,224, with only Sh58,170,000 satisfactorily explained.

The assets will be recovered by the Government of Kenya. The EACC praised the court's decision as a significant step in recovering public resources and preventing corruption.