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Kenya fraud charges over Chinese-funded $3bn railway | Kenya fraud charges over Chinese-funded $3bn railway |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two senior Kenyan government officials have been charged in court with fraud over the building of a $3.2bn (£2.5bn) Chinese-funded railway line. | Two senior Kenyan government officials have been charged in court with fraud over the building of a $3.2bn (£2.5bn) Chinese-funded railway line. |
The two are accused of paying more than $2m in compensation to private firms which falsely claimed to own land through which the line ran. | The two are accused of paying more than $2m in compensation to private firms which falsely claimed to own land through which the line ran. |
The officials and 15 other accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges. | The officials and 15 other accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges. |
The railway line was Kenya's biggest infrastructure project since independence from the UK in 1963. | The railway line was Kenya's biggest infrastructure project since independence from the UK in 1963. |
President Uhuru Kenyatta opened it in May last year, hailing it as a new chapter in the East African state's history. | President Uhuru Kenyatta opened it in May last year, hailing it as a new chapter in the East African state's history. |
The line runs between the port city of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi, and construction was completed 18 months early. | The line runs between the port city of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi, and construction was completed 18 months early. |
It is supposed to eventually connect landlocked South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean. | It is supposed to eventually connect landlocked South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean. |
But the project has been marred by corruption allegations, and claims by economists that the cost was too high. | But the project has been marred by corruption allegations, and claims by economists that the cost was too high. |
It ran up a loss of about $100m in its first year of operation, official figures show. | It ran up a loss of about $100m in its first year of operation, official figures show. |
The project was also condemned by wildlife groups as the line runs through the Nairobi National Park and Tsavo National Park in south-eastern Kenya. | |
Kenya Railways head Atanas Maina and National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri were charged with fraud on Monday, following their arrest on Saturday. | Kenya Railways head Atanas Maina and National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri were charged with fraud on Monday, following their arrest on Saturday. |
Many Kenyans have welcomed the detention of the two men who were seen as "untouchables" because of the political influence they wielded, reports the BBC's Ferdinand Omondi from Nairobi. | Many Kenyans have welcomed the detention of the two men who were seen as "untouchables" because of the political influence they wielded, reports the BBC's Ferdinand Omondi from Nairobi. |
They were handcuffed after they took their seats in the dock at a magistrate court in Nairobi. | They were handcuffed after they took their seats in the dock at a magistrate court in Nairobi. |
The directors of several companies are among the 17 accused, our reporter adds. They all denied the charges. | The directors of several companies are among the 17 accused, our reporter adds. They all denied the charges. |
The arrests are the latest sign of the government intensifying its campaign to end the culture of impunity in Kenya, our reporter says. | The arrests are the latest sign of the government intensifying its campaign to end the culture of impunity in Kenya, our reporter says. |
The government has demolished several landmark buildings in Nairobi in the past week, and hundreds more are being targeted in a drive to reclaim public land. | The government has demolished several landmark buildings in Nairobi in the past week, and hundreds more are being targeted in a drive to reclaim public land. |
Speaking during a church service on Sunday, Mr Kenyatta said: "Over the last few weeks I have lost so many friends. | Speaking during a church service on Sunday, Mr Kenyatta said: "Over the last few weeks I have lost so many friends. |
"I have received many calls, being asked: 'How can you sit and just watch all this destruction going on. You must stop it.' But I said, it is difficult to stop, not because we love to destroy but because we must fight impunity." | "I have received many calls, being asked: 'How can you sit and just watch all this destruction going on. You must stop it.' But I said, it is difficult to stop, not because we love to destroy but because we must fight impunity." |