Former Lands minister Amos Kimunya and two others were on Wednesday acquitted of land fraud instituted against them six years ago.
Kimunya, then Director of Land Adjudication and Settlement Lilian Wangiiri Njenga and businessman Junghae Wainaina were in 2014 charged with allocating public land to Midlands Limited, a company associated with the legislator.
Wainaina was the chairman of Midlands Ltd.
The transfer of 25 acres to Midlands is said to have happened on June 30, 2005, when the Kipipiri MP was the minister for Lands.
The three were accused of abuse of office, failure to disclose private interest and fraudulent disposal of public property.
Kimunya and Njenga had in June 2005 allegedly used their offices to allocate to Midlands 25 acres of public land worth Sh60 million in Njabini, Nyandarua county.
Milimani magistrate Felix Kombo dismissed the charges against the trio on the grounds that the prosecution had not proved its case.
An elated Kimunya said after the verdict that there was a need to improve justice system and how it works to prevent similar persecution of innocent Kenyans and waste of court time.
“It's been six years of persecution for no reason. I am very proud that the justice system in this country has proved that when you are innocent you will be vindicated,” the MP said.
The factory sells peeled and chopped potatoes to eateries mainly in Nairobi and other big towns.
The multi-million shilling facility was started with the aim of addressing problems facing potato farmers in Nyandarua.
- mwaniki fm
