Warrant of arrest issued against billionaire Joginder Singh in Sh400m land case

Joginder Singh Dhanjal (centre) consults his lawyer Khalid Salim at the Mombasa law courts in Mombasa County. [Kelvin Karani, Standard] A warrant of arrest has been issued against billionaire Joginder Singh after he failed to appear in court. Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo directed for the immediate arrest of the tycoon after his lawyer Daniel Wamosa withdrew from representing him in a Sh400 million fraud case. Singh, one of the owners of the Five Star Travellers Beach Hotel, is accused of fraudulently selling a prime piece of land valued at Sh400 million that was to be shared among his five cousins. Wamosa had asked the court to give them time as they waited for Singh to appear as promised. However, hours later he had not appeared. "My client is still on the way. He is a sickly man. I seek to withdraw from the case. I have no instructions," said Wamosa. Senior state counsel Barbara Sombo told the magistrate that there were no orders from the high court stopping him from taking plea, noting that the suspect had failed to appear on several occasions. "There is no stay of the proceedings stopping him from taking a plea. The last time the court was gracious enough to issue a summons, but he has not appeared in court. Issue warrants of arrest. We are being taken in circles in this matter," said Sombo. The complainants' lawyer, Francis Kadime, noted that the matter has been pending plea since last year. "Today you are here to take the plea, and he has no orders to stay this plea. You have been asked to place aside the file and informed he was on the way, and one hour later we are told he is nowhere," said Kadime. He said they may oppose Singh's release on bond. On September 9, the magistrate directed that Singh appears before him to answer to the fraud charges, whether on crutches or life support. The State had applied for a warrant of arrest after he failed to appear in court for the second time. Sombo claimed Singh was using sickness to delay justice and questioned the authenticity of a medical report that recommended his bed rest for a week. Singh is accused of selling eight parcels of land in Mombasa CBD, part of multi-billion-shilling property left by his late Uncle Jaswant Dhanjal, which have been the subject of a protracted dispute between his three sons and those of his brothers. It is alleged that between May 19, 2019, and July 8, 2019, Singh conspired to defraud Jaypee and Sons Ltd of eight parcels of land valued at sh400 million. According to court papers, Singh also faces another charge of pretending to be a sole director of Jaypee and Sons Ltd and purporting the titles were genuine. On October 9, 2020, Justice Mugure Thande ordered for the expeditious distribution of the vast multi-billion-shilling estate in a protracted succession dispute that has lasted over two decades. Among the 22 listed properties are prestigious tourist hotels, residential estates and trading companies. The late billionaire and his three brothers, Dalip Singh Dhanjal, Narinder Singh Dhanjal and Baldev Singh Dhanjal, had shares in companies that owned several properties. The judge noted that since his death on October 26, 2004, and the issuance of the initial and subsequent grants, the estate is yet to be distributed to the beneficiaries. The family lawyer, Dr Fredrick Aoko, said he applied to have Odhiambo declare the parcels a crime scene and order the vacation of anyone working on the said parcels and the police to man the land. The lawyer said those who are not before the court might interfere with the property. "The subject matter is fraud. We seek the court to declare the piece of land a scene of crime and ask the court to preserve the property because we intend to make an application to visit the scene, and any activity ongoing is a fraud," he said.

Warrant of arrest issued against billionaire Joginder Singh in Sh400m land case

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