Swazuri freed on Ksh.3.5M cash bail in SGR compensation scandal

National Lands Commission (NLC) chairman Muhammad Swazuri, Kenya Railways Managing Director Atanas Kariuki Maina and 12 others were on Monday granted bail after denying corruption charges.

Swazuri, together with David Some, (Director, Keibukwo Investments), and Salome Munubi (NLC Director, Valuation and Taxation) were released on a cash bail of Ksh.3.5 million over the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) compensation scandal.

Kenya Railways MD Kariuki and ten other co-accused were also released on Ksh.1.5 million cash bail.

Delivering the ruling, Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi ordered the suspects deposit their travel documents and not to contact witnesses in the case.

“I find that the accused persons are entitled to bail. I do not find evidence that there’s any evidence that would take away the constitutional rights to bail,” said the magistrate.

“The accused are still innocent, as I set out the terms I have considered that others are facing lesser charges than others.”

The court further stated that the suspects would spend the night at Lang’ata Prison (for women) and Industrial Area Prison (for men) if not able to meet the bail terms by close of business on Monday.

Pre-trail was set for August 29, 2018.

The suspects, appearing before the anti-corruption court on Monday morning, pleaded not guilty to corruption related charges which the prosecution claims led to the loss of public funds belonging to Kenya Railway Corporation in the sum of Ksh.222,375,000.

Swazuri was arrested on Saturday alongside six other top government officials, namely: Tom Aziz Chavangi (CEO, NLC), Salome Munubi (NLC Director Valuation and Taxation), Francis Karimi Mugo (Director, Finance and Administration), Gladys Mwikali Muyanga (Land Registrar Ministry of Land and Physical Planning), Obadiah Mbugua Wainaina (a Licensed Surveyor).