The High Court has allowed a car leasing firm to attach the assets of politician George Wainaina over an unpaid debt of Sh22 million arising from hiring several vehicles while he served as the chief of staff at city hall.
The court allowed Mr Rajendra Ratilal Sanghani and Granada Trading Company ltd to execute the warrants against Mr Wainaina over the failure to pay the debt.
Evidence tabled in court showed that Mr Wainaina hired eight vehicles from the company while he served as the chief of staff during in Dr Evans Kidero’s government between 2013 and 2017.
According to the car leasing firm, Mr Wainaina hired a Toyota Hilux for a total of 1,980 days at a cost of Sh2,500 per day. The firm said he incurred a debt of Sh4.5 million.
He also hired another vehicle and stayed with it for 1,740 days and incurred a debt of Sh5.2 million and another one for 1,830 days and a debt of Sh11.9 million. Mr Wainaina was to pay Sh6,500 per day for using the vehicle.
The parties later moved to court and the matter was resolved through mediation and parties agreed that the politician pays Sh22 million within 60 days. The consent was endorsed by the deputy registrar of the High Court Claire Wanyama on March 10, last year.
When the parties appeared before Justice Josephine Mong’are on Wednesday, the court said that once the consent order was adopted by the court, the next thing was for the company to execute the warrants on default.
Mr Wainaina had pleaded with the court to grant them another extension of 60 days after which Mr Sanghani would be free to attach his assets but the application was rejected by the court.
“The consent recorded by the parties is an order of this court and the next step in default was to execute,” the judge said.
According to Mr Sanghani, the politician hired other vehicles but they had agreed to settle the debt arising from the leasing of three vehicles and discuss further on the payment of the other vehicles he had leased.
The businessman stated that the total debt owed is Sh150 million plus interest for the lease of the vehicles including a Mercedes Benz, a Range Rover and several Toyota Hilux.
Mr Wainaina is currently facing graft charges together with Dr Kidero and others over the loss of funds at the Nairobi county government during their tenure.