Swazuri in court for bail ruling after Easter in remand
Prof Swazuri (right) and his co-accused when they appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court at Milimani in Nairobi on April 18, 2019. They will be back in court on April 23 for their bail ruling. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Former land commission chair, 10 others spent Easter behind bars.
- Court to rule on their bail application on Tuesday.
- They are accused of corruption, abuse of office, financial misconduct, fraudulent acquisition of public funds and money laundering.
Former land commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri and 10 other people will Tuesday morning know whether they will be released on bond.
The eleven denied corruption related charges on Thursday last week and had to spend the Easter holiday behind bars after Senior Principal Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi postponed the bail ruling to Tuesday morning.
Some of the suspects were also ordered to present themselves to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission offices at Integrity House on Tuesday morning without fail. Mr Mugambi direct the police to arrest them should they fail to show up.
In the application for bail, the defence argued that the prosecution, which opposed their release saying they are likely to interfere with the trial, had not tabled evidence to show that the accused had interfered with witnesses or would fail to attend court for the trial.
THE ACCUSED
Prof Swazuri is charged alongside former National Land Commission commissioner Emma Njogu, former NLC chief executive officer Tom Aziz Chavangi, Dr Salome Munubi, director valuation and taxation and the Commission's secretary Lilian Kaverenge.
They denied more than 20 counts including corruption, abuse of office, financial misconduct, fraudulent acquisition of public funds and money laundering.
Other suspects are Francis Mugo, the director of finance and administration at NLC, businessman Samuel Rugongo, Godfrey Muritu, Evahmary Wachera, Michael Oloo and an advocate Catherine Wanjiru.
They are accused jointly of conspiring to commit corruption through fraudulent payment of Sh109 million for alleged compulsory acquisition of land from Tornado carriers on behalf of Kenya National Highways Authority.
The land was for the construction of the Mombasa Southern Bypass and Kipevu New Highway Container Terminal link road.
Prof Swazuri also denies abuse of office charges. He is alleged to have approved a second valuation of Sh109 million as compensation for the land initially valued at Sh34.5 million.
