A powerful former minister and head of public service has been linked to offshore transactions based on documents of Bermuda-based law firm Appleby.
Apparently, Ms.  Kosgei used a secret Mauritian-registered firm to buy a $1 million (Sh. 103.66 million) apartment in Central London 16 years ago.
The revelation is contained in leaked documents that show Dr Kosgei channelled money from Kenya via Zonrisa Ltd, a Mauritius company, to acquire the high-end apartment, near Harrods — a luxury department store.
Kosgei owned Zonrisa Ltd, a Mauritius company previously registered in the Isle of Man as Aisha Ltd.
“Zonrisa owned an apartment in central London near Harrods department store in 2001 which cost $1 million (Sh103.7 million), according to emails sent to Appleby,” ICIJ says in its brief. It adds that Kosgei owned her offshore company in April 2001, when she began work as  cabinet secretary in the Office of the President.
“Kosgei’s ownership continued throughout her tenure as one of Kenya’s most powerful politicians,” ICIJ says. It adds that documents sent to Appleby confirmed Aisha Ltd would use money from Kosgei’s company in Kenya – Zena Roses Ltd – to buy the London home. The 70-hectare Kenyan flower farm company exports roses to Europe.
The Paradise Papers — a trove of 13.4 million files taken mostly from the hundred-year old law firm Appleby — were first leaked to Süddeutsche Zeitung, the same German newspaper that got hold of the Panama Papers in April, last year.
