The government has moved to seize four vehicles after the High Court issued preservation orders in a case involving suspected proceeds of crime and money laundering.

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The orders, issued by the High Court's Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division in Nairobi, effectively prohibited any dealings involving the vehicles, including their sale, transfer, possession or encumbrance.

The vehicles targeted by the orders include a Mercedes-Benz C180, a Toyota Corolla Axio, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class and a Nissan Dayz.

The court directed that the logbooks or registration certificates for the four vehicles be surrendered to the Assets Recovery Agency within seven days of service of the order.

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“An order be and is hereby issued directing or compelling the Respondents to surrender or hand over the log books or registration certificates issued in respect of the motor vehicles listed in the order to the Agency Director General or such officer as the Agency Director General may nominate within seven days of service of this order, the gazette notice dated August 7 read.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was also directed to enter caveats against the respective vehicle registers, to restrict transactions involving the vehicles.

With the caveats in place, the vehicles cannot be freely transferred or dealt with through the official registration system as long as the preservation orders are still in force.

Further, the court appointed Assets Recovery Agency Director General as the manager of the vehicles, giving the agency authority to assume control, take care of and administer them.

Police officers were separately authorised to seize and take possession of the four vehicles and hand them over to the Assets Recovery Agency for safekeeping, storage and management.

The preservation orders were issued under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, which allows the court to restrict dealings in property suspected of being linked to proceeds of crime while recovery proceedings are pursued.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke