Former National Land Commission boss Prof. Muhammad Swazuri has been released on a Kshs 12 million cash bail, after being apprehended in a land compensation graft case. According to the DPP, 24 suspects, including businessmen were involved in the case, and the bail terms varied for different accused persons. On Wednesday last week, Swazuri and other officials and business people were arrested by EACC officials and taken to Integrity House in connection with allegations of irregular payment of compensation by NLC to another party for land acquisition.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the irregular payment was made to Tornado Carriers Limited for the acquisition of land in Mombasa. On Thursday, appearing at the Anti-Corruption Court before Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, Swazuri and the ten others who were present at that time denied the land fraud charges preferred against them. The prosecution asked for the denial of bail for the accused, saying the graft charges they faced were serious and they were likely to interfere with witnesses. However, the defence said they should be given bail and that the prosecution hadn’t provided sufficient evidence showing they’ll interfere with witnesses or they’ll fail to appear in court. The accused spent the Easter weekend in custody and were arraigned in court on Tuesday.
