The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered land worth Sh305 Million belonging to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The anti-graft agency’s head of Corporate Communications, Eric Ngumbi, said the land had been illegally obtained from Kisite Mpunguti Marine Reserve in Kwale County.
Ngumbi said the public land has been recovered through the Commission’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
“The property comprises four (4) parcels of land within the Kisite/Mpunguti Marine National Reserve, which is a protected, reserved, and gazetted area under the management and conservation of the KWS,” he said.
Read: EACC Tells Counties To Streamline Internal Audit, Asset Management Loopholes Aiding Graft
Further, he noted, the 4 grabbed parcels are located at an estimated distance of 2 hours travel on water using a KWS patrol boat from the KWS mainland post in Kwale.
“Considering the discreet location of the islands in private ownership, the risk of the property being used for criminal activities such as drug dealing away from Government oversight was real,” he continued.
“Before the recovery by EACC, one of the grabbed parcels had been earmarked for the construction of a private airstrip by an individual.”
According to the agency, three (3) out of the four (4) beneficiaries returned the stolen property and handed over original titles Nos: Kwale/Shimoni/493, Kwale/Shimoni/494, and Kwale/Shimoni/496, to the Commission.
Read Also: EACC Freezes Sh21 Million Amassed In 4 Months By Junior KeRRA Employee
This will allow the cancellation of the titles and fresh registration under KWS.
“The recovery of the remaining parcel No: Kwale/Shimoni/495 is ongoing. The Commission is in the process of filing a recovery following the refusal by the suspect to surrender the property.”