EACC targets to recover Sh111.5 million, cars, land from Embu MCA

By  Sam Kiplagat

Court Reporter

Nation Media Group

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has moved to court seeking to recover more than Sh111.5 million, six vehicles and a parcel of land from an Embu MCA accused of securing road contracts from the county government in breach of the law.

High Court Judge Joseph Kipkoech Biomdo certified the case as urgent and barred Peter Muriithi Nyaga, his agents and companies linked to him from selling, transferring or otherwise dealing with six vehicles and a parcel of land allegedly acquired using proceeds from the contracts.

Mr Nyaga, the Mbeti North Ward MCA and Majority Leader of the Embu County Assembly, is alleged to have secured 20 road construction and maintenance contracts worth Sh111,577,188.75 from the county government between the 2017/18 and 2023/24 financial years.

“That pending hearing and determination of this application inter-parties, the 7^th defendant/ Respondent by themselves, their agents, servants or employees or any other person whosoever be and are hereby restrained from alienating, wasting, transferring, disposing or in any way dealing with Land Reference Number Mbeti/Kiamuringa/49,” the court said.

Mr Nyaga is serving his second term as Mbeti North MCA after being re-elected in August 2022. He has previously served on several sectoral committees, including the Infrastructure, Roads, Public Works, Housing and Energy Committee.

The case will be heard on September 14 2026.

According to EACC court documents, the contracts were awarded to five companies associated with Mr Nyaga and his spouse while he was serving as an MCA. The companies are Truco Enterprises Ltd, Peanco Ltd, Njewaco Ltd, Hiwco Ltd and Isaac & Timothy Company Ltd.

The EACC alleges that Mr Nyaga was a director of Truco Enterprises and Isaac & Timothy Company, while his spouse was a director of three of the other companies alongside her sister.

The anti-graft agency says Mr Nyaga entered into the contracts while serving as an MCA and as an agent of Embu County Government, creating a conflict of interest and amounting to abuse of office contrary to Section 59 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.

The EACC further accuses him of failing to declare his interest in the contracts and concealing his relationship with the companies, contrary to Section 66(6) of the Act.

The agency says the county government paid the five companies Sh111,577,188.75 for the 20 contracts, with part of the money allegedly used to acquire a parcel of land valued at Sh9.1 million in 2019 and the motor vehicles.

“Consequently, payments received pursuant to the subject contracts constituted proceeds of corruption or related to corruption,” the EACC says in its court filings, arguing that the contracts were illegal and void from the outset.

The judge restrained Mr Nyaga and his agents from transferring or selling the parcel of land in Mbeti, Kiamuringa, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

He has also been barred from selling or transferring five motor vehicles, a grader and a loader.

The EACC is seeking a declaration that Mr Nyaga held direct and indirect private interests in the 20 contracts and unlawfully acquired public property. It is also seeking restitution of Sh111.5 million from him.

The commission further wants companies linked to his spouse to surrender about Sh84 million allegedly received from the county government.

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