[Source: Business Daily, by Walter Menya and Vincent Achuka]
National Land Commission former chairman Muhammad Swazuri, and over a dozen other ex-officials and businesspeople have been arrested over alleged corruption.
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives picked up the officials from their homes in Nairobi on Wednesday morning.
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.
NLC was compulsorily acquiring the piece of land on behalf of the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA).
In statement shortly after the arrests, Mr Haji questioned how NLC carried out a valuation of a piece of land that more than tripled the price within a period of two years.
According to Mr Haji, NLC based the price of the land on the second questionable valuation and paid little regard to the initial valuation.
“The NLC proceeded to pay Ms Tornado Carriers Ltd Sh55.3 million and C.W. Chege & Co. Advocates Sh54.5 million,” the DPP said.
Among those listed for prosecution are Dr Swazuri, former NLC Commissioner Emma Njogu, NLC staff Joash Oindo (Deputy Director, Valuation & Taxation), Dr. Salome Munubi (Director, Valuation & Taxation), Francis Mugo (Director Finance) and Catherine Wanjiru Chege, an advocate at C.W Chege & Co. Advocates.
In the list are also spouses and relatives of NLC staff, directors of Tornado Carriers Ltd and Lorgis Logistics Ltd as well as two companies.
Mr Haji said the suspects will be charged with offences of conspiracy to commit an economic crime, abuse of office, financial misconduct, unlawful acquisition of public property, fraudulent acquisition, dealing with suspect property, and money laundering.
