7 NLC officials to testify against Swazuri in fraud case – court told

Seven commissioners of the National Land Commission (NLC) are expected to testify against their former boss Muhammad Swazuri.

This was revealed on Monday during a mention of an application where Swazuri wants to be allowed back to office pending the hearing and determination of a graft case against him.

“EACC have imprisoned my client, he cannot go to his offices and serve Kenyans,” the court was told.

Swazuri, Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Kariuki Maina and 12 others are out of bail after they were charged  over the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) compensation scandal.

Trial Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi, however, said he cannot hear any application arguing that the file on the case is before the High Court.

“High court has asked for the file. we have to wait until high court returns the file, what we have here is a skeleton file,” said Magistrate Mugambi.

Last week, Swazuri filed an application at the High Court seeking review of the bail terms given to him by the trial court.  The matter is yet to be heard .

Swazuri and his co-accused have denied charges of conspiring to defraud the government of Ksh.221.3 million in the SGR compensation scandal.

They are accused with abuse of office, breach of trust, unlawful acquisition of public property and neglect of official duty.

While granting Swazuri bail, the court said that the embattled chairman can only access his former office if the lands commission CEO authorises him to go back.

Magistrate Mugambi said the former NLC chairman could only return to work after writing a letter to the CEO.

The court ruled that Swazuri, being a State officer acting as the chairman of the commission, should seek clearance before he can enter his former office.