A last-minute decision to collect a Sh5.7 million bribe landed Parklands MCA Jayendra Malde in the hands of EACC detectives yesterday.
Recorded phone conversations show the MCA had initially planned to send a lady to collect the money from businessman Rahim Chatur on Friday night.
Unknown to him, Chatur, the owner of Concord Hotel who is accused of grabbing land in Parklands meant for a fire station had alerted the EACC about the MCA’s extortion attempts. Chatur is also allegedly behind the grabbing of a piece of land at High Ridge Primary School recently repossessed by the City County.
Malde is the chairperson of the Nairobi County Assembly Legal and Justice Committee.
@EACCKenya,detectives arrested MCA for Parklands Ward Mr.Jahendra Malde for demanding a bribe of Kshs 5.7 million from owner of Concord Hotel in Westlands as an inducement to prevail upon the Nairobi Governor. Mike Sonko not to order the demolition of the Hotel on riparian land.
— EACC (@EACCKenya) August 25, 2018
The bribe of Ksh 5.7million demanded by the MCA Hon.Malde was to be shared with 19 other MCAs who are members Nairobi County Assembly Legal Committee who would prevail upon the Governor not to order the demolition of Concord Hotel.He will be charged in court next week.
— EACC (@EACCKenya) August 25, 2018
“The Sh5.7million was to be shared with 19 other members of the legal committee who would prevail upon Governor Mike Sonko not to order the demolition of Concord Hotel,” said EACC on its Twitter Account.
Unknown to the Malde, he had just agreed to walk into a trap.
Recently, EACC detectives arrested businessman Praful Kumar for allegedly attempting to bribe Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
EACC claimed that the businessman wanted Governor Sonko to allow the construction of his hotel in Gigiri which was stopped by the Nairobi County Government on August 16, 2018.
“EACC has arrested Nairobi businessman Praful Kumar for offering a bribe of Ksh.1 million to Nairobi Governor Michael Mbuvi Sonko to facilitate approval of his hotel under construction.
The County Government of Nairobi had stopped the construction of the hotel on 16th August 2018,” said the EACC tweet. The Anti-corruption body confirmed that Mr. Kumar was found in possession of Sh5 million in his home in Kilifi County at the time of arrest.