The graft case against embattled National Land Commission (NLC) chairman Mohammed Swazuri have suffered a major blow after crucial graft evidence was stolen from his office.
It is reported that on Sunday a computer containing compensation details of land by Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) went missing.
Good morning @UKenyatta @DPPS_KE @EACCKenya @DCI_Kenya. One question for you good sirs- why was the information never backed up even after having National Land Commission senior officials under corruption investigation? pic.twitter.com/QEXDgz9kg6
— Frankline Mukwanja (@mukwanja) December 18, 2018
The computer contains all-important data on all mega land compensation deals that the commission has been undertaking on behalf of the government.
Also lost is crucial data on the NLCs compensation programme for other various projects including dams and road expansion sites.
Both Swazuri and his deputy Abigael Mbagaya confirmed the loss.
“I am in the field at the moment deep into Malindi where there is low network connectivity the poor network. But I was given that hint of the loss and can only brief you more once I settle and get a full brief on the same,” Swazuri told to sources.
“It is true. I was informed in the morning that the CPU had been stolen. But we have since called in the police and now it’s with the police because its loss of government data,” Mbagaya stated.
A source revealed that the data contained in the computer had no back up.
Newspaper Analysis: Graft evidence stolen from Swazuri's office. Detectives called in after a computer holding crucial information on SGR compensations running into billions of shillings at the National Land Commission vanishes #JamboKenya pic.twitter.com/1MwNl0NW7d
— Radio Citizen (@RadioCitizenFM) December 18, 2018
“The fact that such sensitive information has no back up is worrying. It is likely to make operations at the commission very difficult. Also to be affected are investigations in the ongoing cases involving frivolous compensation approved in the last few years” the high-placed source stated.
“It is too early to tell whether the documents that have gone missing relate to the information we shall need in the future,” EACC spokesman Yassin Amaro indicated.
Theft???at a national land commission… Corruption related issue
— Francis Ouma Ojwang (@FrancisOuma19) December 18, 2018
This is the second high profile corruption case have gone missing after those of Kenya Power faulty transformer case disappeared.