Swazuri and 23 former NLC officials arrested over Sh100m land scam – VIDEO
Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives have arrested former National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri and 23 other former commission officials over alleged corruption.
Their arrests are linked to fraudulent compensation for land acquired by the commission for the construction of the Mombasa Southern Bypass and Kipevu New Highway Container Terminal link road in 2013.
The land belonging to Tornado Carriers Limited was initially valued at Sh34,501,110 in 2015 but the commission ended up paying Sh109,769,363 after Dr Swazuri ordered a second valuation.
Dr Swazuri and the other suspects were picked by the EACC sleuths from their houses on Wednesday morning and are expected to be charged with several economic crimes offences on Wednesday.
DPP Press Statement on Investigation at the National Land Commission ( Land reference MN/VI/3801) pic.twitter.com/kglhqjBDpW
— ODPP_KE (@ODPP_KE) April 17, 2019
The suspects will be charged with conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office, money laundering, financial misconduct, handling stolen property among other charges according to a statement from the DPP’s office.
In August 2018, Dr Swazuri, Kenya Railways Corporation Managing Director Atanas Maina and five others were arrested over the fraudulent land compensations.
The arrest of the former NLC boss came after Haji preferred corruption and economic crimes charges against him and several other public servants even as a defiant Swazuri then told journalists that he ‘doesn’t even fear the ‘Hague’ (International Criminal Court).