The government dramatically deported a senior European Union official in apparent retaliation for the grey listing of Kenya as a “wash wash” paradise, the Star can exclusively report.
Kenya was in February put under high watch for lacking strong safeguards against the flow of dirty money, a list of shame known as the grey list.
The listing comes with reputational damage effectively subjecting Kenya, its institutions and citizens to stricter due diligence when dealing with the rest of the world.
Other consequences include slowing down the pace of business, increasing transaction costs and may even threaten deals and business relationships.
The Star has established that days after the grey listing, Kenya dramatically deported a top EU official who works closely with the Financial Action Task Force, the global anti-money laundering watchdog that grey listed Kenya.
David Hotte, a French national, was arrested at Wilson Airport on February 25, just a day after landing in Kenya.
He was detained for 12 hours and later forced out of the country through a flight to Amsterdam, the Embassy of France protested in a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hotte is the team leader of the EU Global Facility on Anti-money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.
They provide technical assistance to countries to strengthen their anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing in line with the recommendations of the watchdog, Financial Action Task Force.
Hotte had traveled to Kenya to offer technical assistance to member states of Eastern and Southern Africa Anti Money Laundering Group, including Kenya’s Financial Reporting Centre at Vipingo, Kilifi county.
He landed in Nairobi on January 24, and was arrested the following day at Wilson Airport on his way to Vipingo.
France Ambassador Arnaud Sequet who responded to the distress call was reportedly denied access and communication to their national.
“He was expelled from Kenya on February 25, 2024 without being notified which charges were pressed against him, and after having been detained for 12 hours without food and water in a cell at the airport,” the French Embassy protested in a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“He finally had to board the flight KL 566 to Amsterdam, after being pressured by the Kenyan police to modify his return ticket and pay for the charge related to the change of his ticket.”
The French Embassy says Kenya violated the Vienna on Consular Relations in its handling of the matter.
“The Embassy of France wishes to express its deepest concerns regarding the manner in which Hotte was treated in the course of his mission, which is not in line with the spirit of partnership that prevails between the EU and Kenya, as re-affirmed in the framework of EU-Kenya strategic dialogue,” the embassy said.
“The Embassy of France wishes to also stress that it was neither informed of the arrest, detention and deportation of Hotte from Kenya, in disrespect of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Moreover, the Ambassador of France, who went to the airport, was denied access and communication to Hotte while he was about to be expelled from the airport, despite a request made to the immigration officer in charge.
They want the government to provide all information regarding the case.
In an interesting twist, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a letter to the European Union on June 14, 2024 said the ministry deported Hotte over what they described as “national security grounds”.
There are fears that gold fraudsters and 'wash wash' suspects have turned Kenya into a playing field with foreign nationals losing fortunes to known Kenyan swindlers.
Kenya has also consistently been flagged for transit of drug and wildlife trafficking with law firms, NGOs, casinos, real estate agents being highlighted as some of the enablers of money laundering.
The failure to institute robust anti-money laundering measures is said to provides fertile ground for terrorism financing.