Detectives looking into Matiang'i's role in Ruaraka land scandal

Detectives attached to the EACC are looking into Ruaraka Land Scandal to establish if Interior CS Fred Matiangi was aware of the fraudulent transaction.

The People Daily quoted a detective privy to the investigation who said that the commission was looking to establish whether it was incidental that the suspicious land deal started while Matiang'i was acting Lands CS and concluded while he was in the Education docket.

“We would like to establish whether it was by coincidence that all the transactions were being done during his tenures in the two ministries or whether he was aware and approved them," the investigator stated.

In a previous appearance before the EACC, Matiang'i defended himself, saying his role was only to respond to letters from the National Land Commission (NLC) which sought his approval for the ministry to start the process of compensating the purported land owner.

On Thursday afternoon, EACC detectives arrested the prime suspect, Francis Mburu, who laid claim to the land and received Sh1.5 billion in compensation.

Mburu's business associate, Meshack Onyango Dehay and who is reported to have been adopted as a state witness, had told Parliament that the compensation process was done done through collusion that involved senior government officials, including Matiang'i.

Dehay had claimed that Matiang'i was to be given Sh300 million from the Sh3.2 billion that would be compensated to the Mburu.