Kenyan authorities have ordered an immediate freeze on the assets of 13 individuals suspected of financing terrorism, a move that exposes a sophisticated web of international money laundering reaching as far as the United States.
In a sweeping directive issued February 4, the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) commanded all banks and financial institutions to halt transactions for the designated suspects within 24 hours. The list includes 10 Kenyans and three foreign nationals from neighboring East African countries, whose accounts reportedly hold hundreds of millions of shillings.
A Global Web of Financing
While the freeze is rooted in Kenyan law, the investigation has taken on an international dimension. FRC officials revealed that some of the flagged funds originated in the United States, traveling through Turkey and South Africa before landing in Nairobi.
The sanctions invoke United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which mandates that member states suppress the financing of terrorist acts. FRC Director General Saitoti Maika emphasized that the move is preemptive.
“The objective is to cut off financial support to suspected networks before resources can be used for harmful purposes,” Maika stated, noting that the law does not require proof of a specific committed act to freeze assets.
High-Profile Targets
The list features several individuals allegedly linked to major regional atrocities and global terror franchises like Al-Shabaab and ISIS:
- Violet Kemunto Omwoyo: Allegedly linked to the 2019 Dusit D2 Hotel attack in Nairobi; described as a facilitator for Al-Shabaab operations.
- Jamal Abdi Mohamed: An ISIS recruiter and facilitator accused of orchestrating the 2019 Latema Road IED blast.
- Mohamed Siyat Ali: Allegedly used cryptocurrency wallets linked to the deputy commander of ISIS-Somalia to move funds.
- Ramadhan Hamisi Kufungwa: Accused of coordinating the 2014 Mpeketoni attack, which claimed dozens of lives.
Strict Compliance for Banks
The FRC’s directive leaves no room for error. Reporting entities—including banks and microfinance institutions—must identify and freeze all assets held solely or jointly by these individuals.
Even institutions with no connection to the suspects are required to submit a “nil return” to the FRC. Failure to comply or any attempt to circumvent these sanctions will be treated as a criminal offense under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Beyond liquid cash, the investigation is digging into local businesses. Two of the suspects reportedly own one of the largest mobile money transfer agencies in Nairobi, a critical sector for the Kenyan economy.
