Four charged with attempting to grab Kenyatta land

Four men have been arraigned for encroaching into a private parcel of land in the upmarket Karen area that is associated with President Uhuru Kenyatta valued at Sh350million.

Mohammed Mohamud Wako alias Hussein Mohammed, James Owino Opere , James Saluni Tuukuo and Samakin Lesingira face 12 counts of attempting to grab the land, forging a title deed, faking a signature of a Lands Registrar, conspiracy to defraud and forcible entry into the private property.

The four denied the 12 indictments filed against them by the director of public prosecutions.

Wako, Opere, Tuukuo and Lesingira will be tried alongside another suspect who had been charged last year.

Milimani law courts chief magistrate Ms Wendy Michemi directed the case against the four be consolidated with the earlier case listed for hearing January 18,2022.

Wako faces eleven counts while Opere, Tuukuo and Lesingira face one count of attempting to grab the five-acre parcel of land LR No1159/88 registered in the name of Goodison Trust Corporation Limited.

Wako was accused of making a fake Deed Plan No422362 for the property valued at Sh350million situated at Windy Ridge Lane Karen, Nairobi at an unknown place.

The alleged Deed Plan was dated September 23,2020.

State prosecutor Alexander Gikunda told Ms Michemi that Wako alleged the Deed Plan was genuine having been issued to him by the Director Surveys, a fact which he knew to be false.

Defence lawyers Shadrack Wamboi and Paul Macharia applied for the release of the suspect on bond saying they have been cooperating with police very well.

The bail plea was however not opposed by Mr Gikunda.

But Mr Gikunda said in the earlier case the suspect was freed on a bond of Sh2million with one surety or an alternative cash bail of Sh1million.

Mr Wamboi told the magistrate that the accused had been detained for two days by senior resident magistrate Ms Jane Kamau who had directed they be freed on a police cash bail of Sh30,000 each on Friday (January 7) after interaction with police.

Mr Wamboi also asked the magistrate to take judicial notice that three of the accused faced one count.

In her ruling Ms Michemi directed Wako to deposit a cash bail of Sh1million with three conduct persons.

The magistrate also ordered Opere, Tuukuo and Lesingira to deposit a cash bail of Sh200,000.

The case will be mentioned on January 18, 2022 for consolidation and pre-trial directions.