Gold trader wants Amadi removed from judiciary post over Sh100m fraud

Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

A British gold trader has filed a petition before the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeking to remove the Judiciary chief registrar Anne Amadi from office over the Sh100 million gold scam. 

In the petition filed before the JSC, Demetrios Bradshaw, a director of Bruton Gold Trading LLC, wants Ms Amadi removed from the JSC for alleged gross misconduct 

Mr Bradshaw has a pending case before the High Court seeking a refund of more than Sh100 million, allegedly paid to the law firm of Amadi and Associates, which he claims to have been defrauded in a gold scam. 

Justice Alfred Mabeya on Friday extended an order freezing Ms Amadi’s accounts and those of the law firm until June 9, when he will rule on her application for unfreezing of the accounts and striking out of the case. 

“The Judicial Service Commission takes the necessary steps in line with all applicable laws and removes her from office with immediate effect,” the petition states. 

Among the grounds cited by the British passport holder are consulting with and for representing and running Amadi and Associates law firm while being an employee of the 

The judiciary, and allegedly receiving money into an account opened by her in her capacity as the sole proprietor of the law firm and maintaining control of the operations of the said account.

Mr Bradshaw further claims that Ms Amadi called his advocates sometime last year and thereafter met in the company of her advocates in a bid to reach a settlement on the investigations, which were being conducted by the police.

“That the glaring question from Hon. Anne Atieno Amadi’s actions relayed in the paragraph above is, how did she know of the criminal investigations being carried out, on what capacity did she attend that meeting and propose a solution if indeed she was not in control of Amadi and Associates?” the petition reads.

The Briton says although Ms Amadi says he ceased control of the law firm and handed over the firm to other advocates including her son, Mr Brian Ochieng, the most recent certificate from the Registrar of Companies dated May 30, 2023, still indicates that she is still the registered proprietor of the law firm, which was established in November 20212.

“There is no evidence that Hon. Anne Atieno Amadi ever ceased control and or handed over the firm to any of the advocates indicated on the website,” the petition reads.

Ms Amadi argued that she has not been in private practice since 2014, having resigned from the law firm after joining the Judiciary. 

She also said there is nothing to show that the alleged funds for the purchase of 1,500 kilogrammes of gold by Bruton Gold Trading LLC, were wired to her personal bank account.

But the gold trader through the law firm on Murage Juma & Company Advocates said Mr Ochieng and Andrew Njenga Kiarie as agents of Amadi and Associates confirmed that they received money and withdrew it.

The gold consignment was allegedly purchased from Edward Taylor alias Mboronda Seyenkulo Sakor, a Liberian passport holder and was to be delivered through Mr Daniel Ndegwa Kangara alias Daniel Muriithi. 

The law firm allegedly acted for the parties after drawing an escrow agreement. 

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