Hope for investors as proprietor agrees to transfer land to Lesedi

A section of investors who bought land from Lesedi Developers Limited can have a sigh of relief after the owner of a protracted land parcel at the centre of the dispute agreed to transfer it to the firm.

The Thika Municipality Block 40/2414, a 6.613-acre piece of land situated in the Muthara area in Juja, Kiambu County, has been at the centre of contention between the company and the original owner Martha Njeri Ndung’u.

Njeri, who is the current registered proprietor of the property, told a Thika court on Monday that she is willing to submit all relevant documents in her possession to the Thika lands registry to facilitate the transfer and registration of the land in Lesedi Developers Limited’s name.

Njeri was honouring court summons issued by Thika Chief Magistrate Stella Atambo in a matter in which the company CEO Geoffrey Kiragu is sued by the investors over the land.

Earlier, Thika Lands Registrar Felix Nyakundi who had also been summoned by the court pointed out that the discrepancy in the Survey of Kenya records and those in the Thika Lands registry regarding the subject parcel was correct.

While the records from the Survey of Kenya indicate that the excision on the land was concluded on October 31, 2023, and that subdivision was completed, a search at the Thika Land registry indicates that the parcel is still under the name of Njeri.

The registrar observed that the discrepancy can be cured once the registered proprietor presents all relevant documents to his office for further action on transfer and registration to the accused person’s company name, a process he said would only take seven days.

Chief Magistrate Stella Atambo directed that Njeri furnish the Thika lands Registrar with all requisite documents for the subject land parcel by Wednesday, March 13, 2024 evening to facilitate the process.

“This is a very great stride towards settlement. The current registered proprietor of the subject parcel is hereby directed to liaise with the defence counsels and ensure that the process towards issuance of the title deed in the company’s name begins in earnest,” Atambo said.

The Magistrate noted that Njeri had confirmed that she had not sold the parcel to any other person except Lesedi Developers Limited and that currently there are no permanent structures erected by anyone or occupant on the land.

She ordered that there should be no dealings or any development on the subject parcel until otherwise directed by the court or consent by both parties.

“To facilitate further progress, hear-in, the court extends summons to the proprietor [Njeri] to the next court appearance,” she said.

The court also directed that once the transfer process is complete, the title deed shall be deposited in court for further discussions through consent and or directions by the court to protect the interests of the complainants.

Atambo indicated that depositing the title deed in court should not hinder any further progress in terms of transfer.

The matter will be mentioned on April 4, 2024.