Police Raid Francis Mburu's Karen Home Over Ruaraka Land Scandal

Police on Thursday raided the home of businessman Francis Mburu Mungai who has been named as the force behind the controversial Ruaraka Land Scandal.

Accompanied by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials, the authorities seized computers and documents found during the raid.

Mburu is mentioned in the case as having received a sum of Ksh3.3 Billion through his two companies - Afrison Exports and Imports Limited and Huelands Limited after claiming to be the owner of the land in question.

Members of Parliament (MPs) are in the process of establishing who is the rightful owner of the controversial piece of land after the GSU and Ministry of Education paid for it on two separate occasions.

[caption caption="Businessman Francis Mburu whose home was raided by police and EACC operatives on July 19, 2018"][/caption]

Mburu appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee where he testified to have owned the land since the 80s.

According to records, Mburu wrote to the commissioner of lands in 1984 seeking to put up a secondary school on the land under his company, Drive-Inn Estate Developers.

In his proposal, Mburu also outlined plans to put up a shopping centre and 196 maisonettes.

"After a careful study on the subdivision plans you submitted to this office, it was noted that the open spaces are more than adequate and there is enough land left for other public purposes such as a primary school and nursery school.

"Therefore there is no condition that compels you to have a secondary school site included in the sub-division scheme," the then Commissioner of Lands, A. F. Mwangi responded in a letter dated December 18, 1984.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, National Lands Commission (NLC) boss Muhammud Swazuri and former Attorney General (AG) Githu Muigai are among the big names mentioned in the case.

Governor Mike Sonko who appeared before the committee on Wednesday maintains that the land belongs to the national government.

[caption caption="Governor Mike Sonko appears before Senate Committee on County Public Accounts and Investments on July 18, 2018"][/caption]