Four officials Sowesava self-help group were on Friday charged afresh before a Nairobi court in a Sh1billion land fraud case in Donholm Estate.
The four who include a former Kayole Chief, Alexander Hoops, Patrobas Awino, Peter Gitau and Peter Njoroge, are accused of forging a title deed, a Lease and an allotment letter.
The Director of Public Prosecutions through state Counsel Anderson Gikunda told Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku that the charge sheet against the four was ready after the High court thwarted an attempt by Awino to have their prosecution stopped.
In the first count they are accused that on unknown dates jointly with others not before court, with intent to defraud Gidjoy Investment Ltd of 11.8 acres of land in Donholm, they made a false allotment letter purporting it to be genuine and issued by a lands administration officer.
The disputed parcel of land is the formerly Nairobi /block 82/7333 now part of the amalgamation of other parcels valued at Sh944million.
They also face a second count of forging a lease purportedly signed by the Rosemary Ngong'a ,a land Registrar on unknown dates within the country.
They further face a third count of forging a title deed with intent to defraud Gidjoy investment Ltd by forging a title deed purportedly issued by Ngong'a, a Ministry of Lands Official.
The court also heard that the four forged a lease document purportedly signed and stamped by Ng'arua Kamuya Ng'arua & Kamau an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
The accused persons further conspired to defraud Gidjoy investments limited by falsely pretending that he had a genuine title dated November 28, 2001, issued and signed by Rosemary Ngong’a a land registrar.
They denied the charges and through their lawyer, Emily Nyongesa, asked for lenient bond terms but the prosecution insisted that the same bond terms be retained which had been given to Peter Gitau and Peter Njoroge who were charged in 2019.
Nyongesa also asked for witness statements from the prosecution.
Chief magistrate Martha Mutuku released them on a cash bail of Sh1million or a bond of Sh2million each.
Mutuku told Hoops and Awino that they will have to remain in custody until their bond terms are processed.
"You will have to remain in custody until your bond terms are processed,” she said.
The matter will be mentioned on August 19, 2021, for pretrial directions.
Last month a Constitutional Court threw out an application by Awino saying that he was using the case to stall the prosecution of the multimillion fraud case.
Edited by D Tarus
