Gospel musician Alex Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone, is set to take his plea virtually in an ongoing land fraud case, following multiple failed attempts to appear in person before the Milimani Law Courts.
Ringtone is facing charges alongside Alfred Juma Ayora over an alleged conspiracy to defraud a Nairobi woman, Teresiah Adhiambo, of a 0.47-acre parcel of land in Karen valued at over Sh50 million.
The case has stalled for weeks due to Ringtone's repeated absence, with the court yet to formally recognise him as an accused person because he has not taken a plea.
Ayora has already pleaded not guilty.
Ringtone was first expected in court on March 28, when charges were officially filed. However, he failed to attend the hearing and has since missed several court dates, citing ill health.
His lawyers told the court that he was initially admitted at Trinity Care Centre in Ngong and later transferred to a hospital in Kasarani.
On May 13, a stand-in lawyer again informed the court that the singer remained unwell, prompting fresh frustration from Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego.
“The second accused has not taken plea, so he is not known to this court,” Magistrate Alego stated, declining a request to lift the active warrant of arrest issued against Ringtone.
The prosecution, however, confirmed that an investigating officer had traced the singer to the hospital in Kasarani and had received cooperation from medical staff, who agreed to provide updates on his condition.
As a result, the prosecution applied to have Ringtone take his plea virtually to prevent further delays in the case.
Magistrate Alego accepted the application in principle and scheduled the matter for further mention and possible plea-taking on August 6.
The court also directed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to guide the way forward, noting concerns over repeated absences, multiple legal representatives, and a perceived lack of seriousness in the matter.
