• Judge is accused of refusing to transfer parcels he 'sold 'even after receiving agreed payments.
• He is said to have received the money in 2003 but has denied the claims as imaginary.
A judge is feuding with a boda boda rider and a gardener who accuse him of refusing to issue their land ownership documents.
Joshua Kabere and Esther Musyembi are accusing Environment and Lands High Court judge Peter Muchoki of denying them ownership papers of their land.
The land is in Kakuzi area in Murang'a county.
The judge posted in Embu has dismissed the claims as imaginary and the documents as forgeries.
In a tussle that paints David v. Goliath scenario, the two claim Muchoki refused to hand over their ownership documents after they each purchased one-acre from him in 2003.
Kabere told the Star they each paid Sh70,000 but Njoroge has "since become hostile, unreachable and dismissing us whenever we seek the papers."
Copies of the alleged agreement seen by the Star indicate Musyembi paid the first tranche of Sh42,000 for her parcel on June 12, 2003.
The agreement was drawn up the same day and she agreed to pay the balance of Sh28,000 by July 31 the same year.
The pact required her to clear the balance by that date for forfeit the first installment.
She said she paid the balance, though no documentation was availed to the Star for confirmation.
Musyembi, who is working as a gardener for Del Monte Kenya, also agreed to meet the costs of surveying, subdivision and all statutory charges to transfer the land.
The binding pact also held that the completion of the transaction would depend "upon the sale of the balance of three acres by other purchasers".
The purchaser or purchasers were not indicated in the agreement, nor was their connection, if any, with Musyembi specified.
A different agreement drawn up on July 19, 2003, indicating Kabere paid Sh70,000 upfront.
The father of three also agreed to meet all the costs of surveying, subdividing and transferring the land.
Alongside their witnesses, the parties and Njoroge attached their signatures to the agreements.
"Where is justice in this country? I really hustled to get that money but now this powerful man wants to push us away? No way!" Kabere said.
Reached for comment by the Star and presented with the documents, the judge dismissed the claims as imaginary, terming the documents forgeries.
Njoroge said that he does not know Musyembi but acknowledges Kabere "because I know his father who worked for me for a long time before he died".
Njoroge said that Kabere's father was a caretaker on land that he jointly owned with another person.
"It is four acres of land and I only own two. This old man took care of my piece for a long time and I promised to give him one acre. That was my promise, that's all," he said.
The judge said he respected Kabere's father and intends to keep the promise.
He said Kabere had tried to use forgeries to have him transfer the piece of land.
"The land is jointly owned and can only be transferred after sorting out the joint agreement," he said.
The judge dismissed the signatures on both agreements as forgeries and denied ever receiving money from the man and woman.
"I will give the young man the one-acre I promised because my interests are no longer in Kakuzi, but let him not use forgeries," he said as he maintained not ever knowing Musyembi.
(Edited by N. Mbugua)