An alleged director of a city company has been arraigned over forgery of Sh500 million title deed of an up-market property belonging to 2022 presidential candidate Jimi Wanjigi.
Mr Samuel Njuguna Chege, 53, allegedly pretended to be a director of Horizon Hills Limited, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
He was charged with fraud, alongside nine others who did not appear before Milimani Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi.
Meanwhile Ms Shitubi issued a warrant of arrest against the suspects who did not appear in court to answer to 24 counts of fraud.
The other suspects are David Njenga Samson Kuria, Henry Njoroge Njenga, Antony Masengo Anabaka, Cissy Kalunde Musembi, Valentine Jelimo kibire, Lawrence Njogu Mungai, Kepha Odhiambo Okongo and Martin Esakina Papa.
However , Ms Shitubi spared a Lands Registrar Cattwright Jacob Owino the warrant of arrest as she was informed by a defence lawyer Paddy Cheloti that she fell sick while in police custody and was rushed to hospital for urgent medication.
“ My client will turn up in court to answer charges filed against her immediately she is discharged from hospital,” Cheloti stated.
The magistrate was also informed that the other eight accused persons had been informed by police to turn up in court to plead to the charges but failed.
The magistrate said the case against Chege will be consolidated with another scheduled for hearing for next month.
But the magistrate did not free Mr Chege on bond but directed “he remains in custody awaiting a pre-bail report and also to enable the magistrtae interact and acquint herself with the proceedings in the earlier file.”
The court heard that there is a pending High Court case over the ownership of the land in question and that the complainants-Wanjigi and his wife Irene are parties.
They were charged with falsely pretending that Velji Premachand Dodhia and Himanshu Velji Premachand Dodhia had sold and transferred the Wanjigi land for a consideration of Sh33,600,000 to Horizon Hills Limited.
The offence was allegedly committed on April 5, 2018.
Chege faces other charges of procuring the registration of a parcel of land situated along General Mathenge Road within Nairobi County in his name and others..
The case will be mentioned on April 27, 2023 for directions.
