Fake land deal: 7 family members charged with defrauding trader Sh90m
The convicts in the dock.
Seven members of a family have been convicted for defrauding a city trader of Sh90 million in a fake land deal.
The seven took the money pretending they would sell to the trader a 100-acre parcel of land in Kajiado County 11 years ago.
The convicts Francis Kinyanjui Kiruthi, Ngai Njeru, Irene Wangui Waweru, Charity Mumbu Njue, Gerald Maina Guchu, Annah Wambui Waweru and Regina Njeri Kinyanujui were remanded until July 12, 2022, for mitigation and sentence.
While convicting the seven, Mombasa Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku, who was sitting at Milimani Law Courts on Friday, said the prosecution led by Ms Pamela Venda proved the case against each of the convicts beyond reasonable doubts. The value of the Kajiado land is Sh5 billion.
Ms Mutuku, who is currently serving at the Mombasa Law Courts, had presided over the case she was serving at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
Ms Mutuku ruled Kinyanjui, Ngai and Irene defrauded Mr George Gacheru Mungai, the proprietor of Thorn Hill Holdings Limited (THHL) in March and April 2011.
They received the payments in two tranches of Sh9 million and Sh81million respectively on March 9 and April 11 2011 at the Prime Bank Limited, Riverside Branch in Nairobi.
The court heard that after pocketing the proceeds of crime, the convicts purchased various properties Nairobi and Ruiru. They purchased vehicles, palatial homes and tracts of land which have since been recovered.
The court was told that Kinyanjui, Ngai and Irene approached Mr Mungai pretending they had a 100-acre parcel of land in Kajiado County which they wanted to sell.
They even provided to Mr Mungai a forged title deed. The magistrate said the main witness Daniel ole Muyaa, a former Kajiado County Council Chairman, said the original owner of the 100-acre parcel of land was the late Karei ole Dagome.
Mr Ole Muyaa told the court that ole Dagome’s widow confirmed to him that her late husband had sold some 100 acres of land to Mr Bedan Mbugua whose title deed was later forged then used to defraud Mr Mungai.
The court dismissed defences by Charity, Gerald, Annah and Reginah that they did not know the money they used to purchase property in Nairobi and Ruiru plus flashy vehicles were proceeds of crime.
Prime Bank identified Francis, Ngai and Irene to be the operators of the bank account where money was deposited by THHL.
Ms Venda asked the court to treat the convicts as first offenders.
The convicts will remain in custody until July 12 when the will be sentenced.
