Former NLC boss Swazuri arrested over SGR land compensation scam

Influenza · 2019-04-17T06:26:51+00:00

Muhammad Swazuri, former National Lands Commission (NLC) chairman has been arrested alongside several other ex-officials Detectives from the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested the officials from their homes on Wednesday Morning. They will be charged with abuse office, conspiracy to commit economic crimes, money laundering among other charges according to a statement from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) office. Their arrests were occasioned by illegal compensation of land which was acquired by the commission in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). In 2013, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) tasked the NLC with acquiring land for the construction of the Mombasa Southern Bypass and the Kipevu New Highway Container Terminal Link. The land of reference number MN/VI/3801 belonging M/s Tornado Carriers Ltd was identified and valued at Ksh.34,501,110 four years ago. An offer of the same amount was made to M/s Tornado Carriers Ltd but was rejected forcing the commission to do another valuation. The Chairman instructed the Director of Valuation and Taxation and another officer in the same department to undertake a second valuation. The second valuation done two years ago returned a figure of Ksh.109,769,363. KeNHA remitted the sum to the NLC and amounts of Ksh.55,269,363 and Ksh.54,500,000 were paid to M/s Tornado Carriers Ltd and C.W Chege and Co. Advocates respectively. Late last year, Swazuri, Kenya Railways Corporation Managing Director Atanas Maina and five others were arrested over fraudulent compensations in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway. Swazuri, David Some, (Director, Keibukwo Investments), and Salome Munubi (NLC Director, Valuation and Taxation) were later released on a cash bail of Ksh.3.5million. Although the charges had not been confirmed at the time, an audit report indicated that the Kenyan taxpayer had lost around Ksh. 4billion in the illegality. Evidence collected showed that fake compensation claims, double payments, over payments, inflation of land values and payment of people whose land was never on the corridor was used to loot taxpayer’s money. Following the arrests, crucial data which was key in the investigations is said to have disappeared after a break-in at the commissions’ offices. According to the commission, what got lost was a central processing unit in one of the computers within the Directorate of Valuation and Taxation containing some “operational data.” The commission however maintained that it had the back-up to the data saying the break-in would not affect or compromise the integrity of process and procedures and any other matter related to compensations undertaken by the Commission. Sent using Jamii Forums mobile app

Thread starter Influenza
Start date Apr 17, 2019

Influenza

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Former NLC boss Swazuri arrested over SGR land compensation scam

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