Senior Counsel James Orengo has defended the motion to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of improperly accessing funds from the accounts of his late brother, Nderitu Gachagua.
During his appearance before the Senate on Wednesday, Orengo expressed skepticism regarding the execution of Gachagua’s brother’s Will, which is a key element of the impeachment proceedings.
He alleged that Gachagua “raided” his brother’s accounts, using the funds to acquire prime properties, including the renowned Treetops and Outspan hotels in Nyeri County.
While Gachagua claims that most of his wealth stems from his inheritance from his brother, Orengo, representing the National Assembly in the impeachment trial, argued that the circumstances surrounding the Will’s execution are dubious.
Orengo highlighted that Gachagua began withdrawing funds from Nderitu’s accounts on the very day of his death. He recounted that Gachagua traveled to London, where his brother was undergoing specialized treatment, on February 16, 2017. The following day, he allegedly persuaded Nderitu to sign the Will.
Just a week later, on February 24, 2017, when Nderitu passed away, Orengo contends that Gachagua had already initiated withdrawals from his brother’s accounts.
Orengo further accused Gachagua of acquiring additional properties using funds he obtained irregularly from his late brother.
“He went to the hospital in London where his brother was in ICU. Upon his arrival the next day, he convinced his brother to execute a will… on February 17, 2017. There is no evidence he consulted with the medical team caring for his brother during that visit. After that, he departed,” Orengo stated.
He continued, “The manner in which his brother’s accounts were accessed continued through the acquisition of Olive Gardens via a proxy.
He also purchased properties in Nyeri, including the Outspan and Treetops hotels. Evidence will demonstrate that he misappropriated funds that rightfully belonged to his brother’s estate to acquire these properties.
If this is not a legal offense, then these transactions represent proceeds of crime committed by the Deputy President to acquire property. We assert that these acquisitions stemmed from criminal conduct,” Orengo concluded.
In response, Advocate Elisha Ongoya, representing DP Gachagua, dismissed Orengo’s allegations as an attempt to sway public opinion against the Deputy President.
