Muteshi, man who took on DP Ruto in land grabbing case, dies
Mr Adrian Gilbert Muteshi back in 2012.
Mr Adrian Gilbert Muteshi, the man who won a land grabbing case against Deputy President William Ruto in 2013, has died.
Mr Muteshi died Tuesday, October 27, 2020, according to an obituary placed by his family in the Daily Nation today (Wednesday).
The family did not disclose the cause of his death. He was 87.
In 2013, the DP was ordered to pay Sh5 million to Mr Muteshi, a 2008 post-election violence victim, for illegally occupying his land.
Mr Muteshi had accused Dr Ruto of hatching a plot to grab his 100-acre farm in Uasin Gishu during the 2008 post-election violence when he (Mr Muteshi) had fled for his safety.
Lawyer Anthony Lubulellah (left) and Mr Adrian Gilbert Muteshi at the High Court in Nairobi on Tuesday February 19, 2013.
The High Court in Nairobi ruled that Mr Muteshi had proved that the property was his and that he had been deprived of it.
Dr Ruto had stated that he was an innocent buyer who had heard that some land was being sold and conducted due diligence before purchasing it from people he believed to be the owners of the property.
In 2012, DP William Ruto, then serving as Eldoret North MP, defended himself against the claims. He was flanked by Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny.
The DP, who at the time was set to stand trial at the International Criminal Court over charges related to the post-election violence, told the court he had offered to vacate the land in an out-of-court settlement.
But the deal collapsed when Mr Muteshi demanded compensation and payment of the cost of his suit.
The matter went to trial, and Mr Ruto chose not to give oral evidence in court.
However, he sent Uasin Gishu businessman Hosea Ruto, who was involved in the land sale, to testify on his behalf.
Lady Justice Rose Ougo concluded that evidence showed that Mr Muteshi owned the land and that he still had the title deed.
She also concluded that the land was irregularly and fraudulently sub-divided and sold to the DP.
She, however, did not hold Dr Ruto liable in the irregular dealings with the land.
“I can only attribute the irregular acts to Hosea Ruto (Mr Ruto’s witness) as Honourable Ruto chose not to testify,” Justice Ougo said then.
The businessman was the only witness the Deputy President presented to the court in his defence.
