Tuesday, September 19, 2006

cops and corruption in Kenya

Today I keenly observed what many Kenyans observe every day. A traffic policeman stops a driver on the road to Yaya Centre at Hurlingham. The driver was caught talking on his mobile.(it could be any other minor traffic offence) The policeman quickly invites himself into the front passenger seat and the car moves ahead, slowly. Being in the vehicle directly behind, I clearly see the traffic policeman say a few words, and receive a bank note from the driver, clearly a bribe. The traffic policeman then exits the vehicle a few metres ahead, a flat expression on his face which comes from having done the same thing many many times.
...it is simply bewildering that the Police Commissioner has not been seen to act against these corrupt officers. The Kenya Anti Corruption should continue to hound the Police.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Fraud in Kenyan companies

Just the other day i received instructions to recover some money for a Client that had disappeared when a company went down.
After some investigation, I came to discover that the Companies Act allows the shareholders to voluntarily dissolve a company, so long as they swear an affidavit stating that the company will be able to settle all its debts.
Alas, it is only after the liquidator has moved in that it is discovered that the company cannot pay off its debtors. By this time, the shareholders have taken off scot free. This is what I am now dealing with in the Court.

Beware of trading with companies that have only 2 or 3 shareholders doubling up as Directors of the same company.