Four senators face questioning over an alleged extortion of Ksh100 million from businessman Francis Mburu who was at the center of the Ruaraka land saga.
According to reports by various news outlets on Monday, there was a leaked official document that suggested the Government had acquired the Ruaraka land, which has been the subject of an investigation against private firms that were paid Sh1.5 billion for the property.
Francis Mburu recorded a statement at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and shared with the detectives an audio he recorded of three men and a woman purportedly extorting money from him.
Detectives were reportedly told that the senators approached Mburu on separate occasions, claiming they wanted the money to share with other members of a committee investigating the issue to write “a favorable report”.
According to the Standard, when they met at a five-star hotel in the capital the businessman recorded them where one of the senators was heard claiming “we can help you all”.
Mburu told investigators he declined to give them money because he was innocent while DCI George Kinoti confirmed that the businessman had recorded the statement.
Senate Public Accounts and Investment Committee (PAIC) led by Senator Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay) and National Assembly Lands Committee led by Kitui South MP Rachael Nyamai gave conflicting recommendations on the ownership of the land.
On the other hand, the National Assembly stated that the land in question was private property, which differed with the Senate who maintained the land belongs to the public and investigating agencies should ensure the Ksh1.5 billion paid to claimants was recovered.
The matter came to the fore following complaints by Drive-in Primary and Ruaraka High Schools.
The owners of the companies state contrary to the report by the Senate committee, they have a deed of indemnity issued by the National Land Commission.
