Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua has denied claims that he fraudulently acquired a prime parcel of land near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
Gachagua says he purchased the property for Sh24 million in 2012 through his company Wamunyoro Investment Ltd from Karandi Farm Ltd, which is owned by Peter Nduati and Pauline Mulinge.
John Michael Ohas, a retired civil servant, filed a case in court accusing Gachagua of fraudulently transferring the parcel to his company Wamunyoro Investment Ltd. The property is located off Mombasa Road near JKIA and is estimated to be worth Sh1.5 billion.
Ohas, a former director of Physical Planning at the Ministry of Lands, wants the court to issue orders revoking the title deed issued to MP Gachagua.
He named Gachagua, his wife Dorcas Gachagua, Wamunyoro Investment Ltd, Nduati, Mulinge, the Attorney-General, Land Registrar, National Lands Commission, Ministry of Lands, Directors of Physical Planning and Survey, and the Nairobi County Government as respondents in the case.
In court documents, Ohas says that he was allocated the property LR No.209/12077 on February 3rd, 1994 by then-President Daniel Arap Moi. He was allocated the parcel through his company Columbus Two Thousand Ltd after accepting the offer and paying Sh50,000 in cash and Sh814,550 through cheque in 1996.
He later contacted the director of Survey and a licensed surveyor G.O. Wayumba, who produced a deed plan No. 192966.
Ohas says he fell ill in 1996 and was flown to the UK for treatment, prompting him to take early retirement. It is while undergoing treatment abroad that Gachagua acquired a fake allotment letter with the help of Lands ministry officials.
“With the help of Lands officials, they hid file No. 157048, stole the Deed Plan No. 192966, and registered the title IR. No 90923 in the name of Karandi Farm Ltd, Peter Mbugua and Pauline Mulinge.”
Ohas adds: “When my family members who were in a dire need of funds for my treatment tried to access the suit property to sell the same, they were chased by youths stationed to guard the property.”
Ohas says he reported the matter to the Land Ministry and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“Since the investigations by the DCI were completed and a fraud established, they instructed the Department of Land to recommend the cancellation of the fraudulent title and issue a genuine one to Columbus Two Thousand Ltd,” he says in an affidavit.
Ohas says they later planned for meetings at the Land office to rectify the irregularity but Gachagua did not show up on three occasions, forcing him to move to court.
But Gachagua insists that the National Lands Commission established that the land belongs to him and title deed in his possession is genuine. He adds that Ohas never appealed the decision made by NLC.
Rigathi is a very good…
Rigathi is a very good student of his mentor the DP Ruto! Birds of a feather certainly flock together! They steal together and lie in courts together! Give the retired civil servant his land Rigathi! You will lose the case just like Ruto lost against the late Muteshi! You crook!
Put you damn pointy finger…
Put you damn pointy finger down and return the man’s land! Muicii!
Even without going through…
Even without going through the court process we can tell it’s pure corruption. The property value at the moment is worth Kes 1.5 billion and he bought it in 2012 for kes 24 million. In a span of 9yrs the property is worth billion and half!..what a good investment and it only happens in Kenya.