City politician Agnes Kagure forged signatures for Sh100m land deal, court told

Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful Agnes Kagure allegedly forged signatures in the supposed purchase of two prime parcels of land in Karen about 11 years ago, the High Court heard yesterday.

British tycoon Roger Robson died in 2012 and left behind a Sh500 million estate that’s now at the centre of a dispute between the city politician and lawyer Guy Spencer Elms, who was Robson’s advocate.

Ms Kagure has laid claim to two parcels of land in the high-end district of Nairobi that she allegedly bought from Robson at Sh100 million in 2011.

Mr David Michuki, who also acted for Robson in several cases until his death, told Justice Maureen Odero yesterday that the tycoon was frail in his last days and had hand tremors, so he signed and wrote in a jerky way. When he was shown Ms Kagure’s conveyance, he said it did not look like Robson’s signature and also told the court that the picture on the document was not that of the deceased.

Mr Michuki said he met Robson in 2011 and represented him in a case against the defunct City Council of Nairobi over land rates. He was introduced to him by Mr Elms.

 “Robson explained to me that he had in fact been paying his rates to the Karen and Lang’ata District Association since 1995,” Mr Michuki said.

In his will, Robson directed Mr Elms to manage his properties. He said the estate should be sold and proceeds shared between his nephew and charitable institutions in Kenya that focus on environmental conservation.

Ms Kagure, however, opposed the said will and accused Mr Elms of forgery. Mr Elms had been charged with forging the will in the sale of the piece of land in Karen, but the case was later withdrawn due to lack of evidence.