Relief for DP Gachagua in Sh1.5 land case with ministry official

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a live interview with KTN News at his private residence in Karen, Nairobi. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Nyachoti argued that despite the findings by NLC, Mr Ohas and his company have refused to hand back the land to the DP after illegally and fraudulently obtaining a second title.

"The property is currently valued at Sh1.5 billion and was used by Mr Gachagua through his company Wamunyoro Investments Ltd as security to obtain a loan of Sh200 million from Equity Bank. Refusing to register him as the land's owner is causing him loses," said Nyachoti.

Mr Nyachoti accused the Ministry of Lands official of engaging in a conflict of interest by fraudulently transferring Gachagua's land to himself and cleaning all the records to show the DP does not own the land.

Mr Gachagua, in his affidavit swore, that he acquired the land in 2012 after purchasing it from Karandi Farm Limited and Peter Mbugua at a cost of Sh24 million and had the title registered in his company's name.

The DP swore that he then assumed possession and used the title as security to acquire the Sh200 million loan but was surprised in 2016 when Mr Ohas filed a complaint at NLC claiming that he owned the land.

"He {Ohas] claimed that he acquired the land in 1994 but after careful analysis, the commission dismissed his claims and found that my title was legally acquired. Even after the commission dismissed his claims to the land, Ohas has never taken any steps to appeal the decision," said Gachagua.

Gachagua stated that after the NLC's decision in 2016, he took possession of the land until December 2019 when the Ministry of Lands official allegedly interfered with the records and removed his name as the owner.

According to the DP, Mr Ohas had the title registered in the names of Columbus 2000 Ltd by taking advantage of his position to erase all other previous entries which showed the original owners of the land.

"He fraudulently generated a second title and entered an illegal registration for a company for which he is a director. This was in total disregard of the NLC finding that I am the legal owner of the property having lawfully purchased it from the previous owners," swore Gachagua.