A junior employee affiliated with the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Daniel Wambua, has vehemently refuted allegations that the Ksh21 million frozen in his bank accounts by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) were proceeds of criminal activities. In court filings made on Thursday, Wambua asserted that the substantial sum was designated as dowry for his fiancée, and the frozen accounts were intended to facilitate the collection of funds for traditional dowry negotiations.

Through his legal representative, Danstan Omari, Wambua presented his argument that the funds were accumulated from contributions made by friends, family, and colleagues in preparation for his marriage. He maintained that the frozen accounts were solely intended for the purpose of dowry payment, as per customary practices.

"The amount in the Daniel Wambua Dowry Payment Account was specifically for the purpose of collecting funds from friends and well-wishers for the purposes of dowry payment for my intended marriage to my wife of choice," a segment of the court papers read.

The controversy arose after the EACC, on August 10, ordered the freezing of Wambua's accounts due to suspicions surrounding the source of the substantial sum, reportedly amassed within a span of four months. The EACC raised questions about how a junior accountant earning a monthly salary of Ksh55,000 could accumulate such a significant amount of money within a short period.

The agency filed a suit asserting that the frozen funds, totaling Ksh21,189,125, were potentially linked to corruption rather than legitimate income. It alleged that Wambua had established additional accounts to distribute and transfer parts of the funds, thus spreading out the money.

While the EACC claimed that the funds might have been syphoned from KeRRA accounts, Wambua contended otherwise in his court filings. He asserted that his monthly salary amounted to Ksh170,000, and that he had received substantial support from his friends and colleagues who willingly contributed to the dowry fund.

The case has ignited a debate around the source and intended use of the frozen funds, shedding light on the complexities of financial transactions and the intersection of traditional practices with modern legal investigations. As the legal proceedings unfold, the matter will be further examined to determine the legitimacy of the funds and whether they were indeed intended for the dowry payment as claimed by Wambua.