Two directors of Tornado Carriers Limited have pleaded not guilty to two counts of offences in graft case against them.
Shakil Ahmed Khan and and Nazir Ahmed Matabkhan appeared before Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Lawrence Mugambi for plea taking as directed by the Mombasa High Court.
The accused persons are charged alongside National Land Commission Chair Mohammad Swazuri and 20 others.
The directors are accuse of conspiracy to commit corruption through fraudulent payment of Sh 109,769,363 for purported compulsory acquisition of land reference MN/VI/3801 from Tornado Carriers Limited for the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
Nazir, Shakil and Tornado are further charged that they knowingly and fraudulently acquired public property of Sh 55,269,363 belonging to the KeNHA from the account of the NLC as purported compulsory acquisition of land for the Mombasa port area road development while knowing that the said property was charged.
They are accused of committing the offences o 11 January and 5th December, 2017.
The magistrate dismissed their application to differ plea taking pending decision by the Mombasa High Court.
“No compelling reasons have been submitted or stay from the Mombasa court to warrant plea to be differed. Actually it’s the Mombasa that ordered the accused to appear before me for plea taking,” ruled C.M Mugambi.
They were granted a bond of Sh 15 million or a cash bail of Sh7 million.
