Embattled Mombasa tycoon Ali Punjani might have infiltrated the Mombasa Police system since 2013.
Ali Punjani in 2013, stoked controversy when he appeared in the list of Mombasa entrepreneurs who donated a fleet of 19 police patrol cars “to fight insecurity in the County”.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho announced that the customized Toyotas, worth Sh2.5 million each were a donation from the Mombasa Business Community including Ali Punjani, Mukwano, Grain Bulk, My Space Properties, Rising Star Commodities, Toyopet, Sangani Transporters and the Hassan Joho Foundation.
List of donors was basically Joho & friends. Namely; Ali Punjani, Mr Mukwano, Grain Bulk, Rising Star Commodities,Toyopet ,Sangani Transporters and the Hassan Joho Foundation. pic.twitter.com/7pSmqorQSD
— Mini Breaks (@njooro) August 13, 2019
The police needed some training to operate the vehicles as they came with advanced technology including internal and external camera. The CCTV cameras that can zoom up to half a kilometre.
“The target is to get 50 vehicles. Police presence must be felt in every corner of the county,” Joho said.
One of the most curious things back then is that the donor might have fitted ‘his eyes’ inside the police cars and also tracking devices.
But the move sparked fury between Joho and the then County Commissioner Nelson Marwa, who sensationally claimed that some police officers had been compromised and the vehicles were being used to “escort drug consignments.”
Marwa did not back down and that is how the cars donated by Punjani and others went back to county govt use. Or did they? pic.twitter.com/7Lr5cWudaY
— Mini Breaks (@njooro) August 13, 2019
Marwa claimed that he does not trust the cars. He also stated that some police officers are working with the cartels who are trafficking drugs in the region. He even threatened to name the police officers ruining the name of the entire Mombasa Police force.
Marwa on cops who worked for the narcos pic.twitter.com/YH5FIhaaUk
— Mini Breaks (@njooro) August 13, 2019
But what justifies Punjani deep infiltration of the Mombasa Police System, he had 19 police officers assigned to him for protection.
Just now on KTN News. Did you know that Punjani had 19 police officers assigned to him for protection?
— Mini Breaks (@njooro) August 13, 2019
Even with the latest expose revealing that he spent hundreds of millions of shillings funding at least two presidential candidates, 10 governors and dozens of MPs and MCAs, he has a street named after him.
This road in Shimanzi tells everything you need to know about how kingpins capture govt pic.twitter.com/w3OMM2GUth
— Mini Breaks (@njooro) August 13, 2019
The revelations came to light following heaps of documents ranging from land title deeds to payment vouchers that were found in one of his two private offices in his beachside castle at balmy Nyali.
Currently Punjani is admitted in India after suffering a heart attack.
UPDATE: Wanted tycoon Ali Punjani hospitalised in India after suffering a heart attack in late July. Police raided his house in Nyali on Monday, August 12 on suspicion of his involvement in drug trafficking; directed him to surrender immediately. pic.twitter.com/cKD41czole
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) August 13, 2019