Ex-lands boss Mohamed Swazuri on spot for allegedly asking for bribe through Zaheer Jhanda's company

Ex-lands boss, Swazuri caught up in Zaheer Jhanda's Ksh900 million saga

Mumbi Mutuko

June 19, 2019 8:15 AM

Ex lands Swazuri and businessman Zaheer exposed in Sh900 million scandal

Former NLC chairman Mohamed Swazuri

EACC is pursuing a charge against former NLC chairman Mohamed Swazuri.

Swazuri was accused of inflating a compensation package and using a company owned by businessman Zaheer Jhanda to collect kickbacks.

EACC believe that Swazuri, other NLC and Kenya railways officials used Zaheer's company to receive bribes from a church group whose land was acquired for the SGR.

The NLC is said to have agreed to pay Ksh927 million for a piece of land in Ongata Rongai to the Clarence Matheny Leadership Training Institute (CMLTI).

Former NLC chairman Mohamed Swazuri Pulse Live Kenya

Zaheer is the director of Atlana Corporation, which was allegedly used in Sh200 million kickbacks for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) land compensation scheme.

Middle man

According to the Standard, Zaheer was to use his ‘negotiation skills’ to help the church get the best deal from the SGR billions.

The contract adds that he was also to oversee the lawful implementation of the compulsory acquisition, ensure that the institution is expeditiously and lawfully compensated as well as communication with third-party services.

Businessman Zaheer Jhanda Pulse Live Kenya

The church alleged that NLC officials first asked for a bribe of up to Ksh200 million before they could process their compensation money for a parcel of land they surrendered for the construction of the SGR.

EACC has secured a court order barring transfer of Ksh927 million to CMLTI as it gathers evidence against the church group, Swazuri, NLC and Kenya Railways officials.

Mumbi Mutuko