Four Sowesava Group officials charged over Sh 944m Donholm land

0
Peter Muiruri, Peter Kanika, Hoops Alexander and Patroba Owino before a Nairobi court where they were charged with forgery and released on a bail of Sh 1 million each. Photo/Suek

Four officials of the Sowesava self-help group have been charged with land fraud of the controversial Sh 944 million land in Donholm, Nairobi.

Peter Muiruri, Peter Kanika, Hoops Alexander and Patroba Owino are charged with forging a title deed, lease and allotment letter of the 11.8 acre piece of land.

The court heard that on unknown dates and unknown place in the country jointly with others not before court, with intent to defraud Gidjoy Investment the said land, made a false allotment letter purporting it to be genuine allotment letter signed by land administration officer P. Amiani.

The four are also accused of making a false lease purporting it to be a genuine lease signed by Land registrar Rosemary Anyango Ngong’a and a title deed purporting it to be genuine title issued by land registrar Rosemary Anyango Ngong’a.

Additionally, the accused persons are charged with forging a lease purporting it to be genuine signed by lawyer Ng’arua Kamuya Ng’arua.

They all denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku and were granted a bond of 2 million with alternative cash bail of Sh 1 million.

The Sowesava group has been battling their prosecution at the High. The group and Gidjoy Investment have been claiming ownership of the said land and even filed a complaint with the DCI’s Land fraud unit in 2018.

The DCI conducted investigations and established that the documents held by the four accused persons to be forged and proceeded to have them prosecuted. However, they moved to the the High Court to challenge the same. Last week, the case was ruled in favour of the DCI and the four were directed to take plea.