Lawyer seeks to freeze NLC accounts over Sh220 million legal fees

Lawyer Tom Ojienda.

A senior lawyer is seeking to freeze the accounts of National Land Commission over Sh220 million legal fees.

Tom Ojienda, in the application at the High Court in Nairobi, argued that the commission refused to pay him after he represented them in a Sh8 billion land dispute.

Prof Ojienda said he had several times written to NLC to comply with a court order, which ruled that he be paid, but they had not.

“The commission owes me Sh220,735,840, and despite having several formal meetings and having promised to pay the amount, they have not honoured their promises,” swore Ojienda.

The dispute involved four members of a family, who sued the Government and NLC over allegations that their 1,500 acres in Eldoret was forcefully acquired without compensation.

The court then awarded them Sh8 billion in April 2016, but NLC successfully appealed against the decision and the order was reversed.