Court Declares Money Held By Gold Fraudster Chris Obure As Proceeds Of Crime

Two jet leasing firms have suffered a blow after the High Court directed it to forfeit millions to the State after being declared proceeds of crime.

Justice Patrick Otieno declared USD 54,257.85 and Sh 696,070.70 held in Account in the name of Cullinan Private Jets Corp domiciled at I& M Bank Limited were proceeds of crime and ordered forfeited to the state.

“The sum of USD 24,712.61 held in Account and Sh 1,134,691.33 held in Account Number 6658001881 both in the name of Glo Jet International Limited and domiciled at Ecobank Bank Ltd are proceeds of crime and ordered forfeited to the state,” ruled judge Otieno.

The two banks were directed to transmit the forfeited sums to the Asset Recovery Agency within seven days, after being served with the court order.

The court found that Glo Jet International Limited and Cullinan Private Jets Corp failed in that obligation and that the money stands out as reasonably suspected of being a proceed of crime,” ruled the judge.

The judge added that when so is established, the law and public policy in Kenya demand that illegitimately acquired asset be deprived from the acquirer and forfeited to the government on behalf of the citizen against whom impropriety impact negatively.

Last year December, proprietors of two exclusive private jet companies suffered a major blow after failing to convince a judge to suspend orders freezing its bank accounts, which were restricted over claims of money laundering.

High Court Judge Esther Maina dismissed the application by the owners of the two firms linked to US based companies for lack of merit.

Chris Obure.

Cullinan Private Jet Corp, an alleged subsidiary of a company registered in Miami and Glo-Jet International limited, a subsidiary of a company registered in the state of Florida, wanted the order freezing its bank accounts in Kenya lifted.

“The Notice of Motion dated 28th September 2023 is hereby dismissed for lack of merits,” ruled justice Maina of the anti-corruption Division of the High Court.

In her ruling, the judge found that the two executive private jet companies failed to prove that the preservation orders was making it difficult to meet its expenses.

The Judge dismissed arguments by the two private jet companies that a preservation order may not be varied or rescinded if there is a forfeiture application which is yet to be determined.

The judge added that a preservation order is valid for 90 days from the date of its gazettement unless a forfeiture application is filed in which case the preservation persists until the forfeiture application is heard and determined.

The firms are linked to serial fake gold fraudster Chris Obure who’s also accused of murdering his parter in a deal gone wrong.