Ex-PC Chelogoi sentenced to 14 years in prison over Sh1.35b land fraud

Former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Davis Chelogoi before Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on November 2, 2026. [Nancy Gitonga, Standard].

Former Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Davis Chelogoi has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on six counts over the fraudulent acquisition of a Sh1.35 billion property in Lower Kabete, Nairobi.

Milimani Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego handed Chelogoi separate prison terms after finding him guilty of offences relating to the fraudulent acquisition of businessman Ashok Shah's property.

"For count number 1 accused( Chelogoi) will serve two years custodial sentence, count number two two years custodial sentence, count number three, three years custodial sentence, count number four three years custodial sentence, the fifth count three years custodial sentence and count six one year custodial sentence," the Magistrate ordered.

The magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning Chelogoi will serve the longest prison term of three years rather than the combined duration of the individual sentences.

The court also granted him 14 days to appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Chelogoi's sentencing follows his conviction last month on six counts arising from a protracted criminal case involving a disputed 7.39-hectare parcel of land along Lower Kabete Road, valued at Sh1.35 billion.

In her judgment, Magistrate Alego found him guilty of conspiracy to defraud, forcible detainer, forgery and uttering false documents relating to the property.

The case centred on land parcel LR No. 18485, which the prosecution said was fraudulently registered in Chelogoi's name using forged documents.

The complainants, businessmen Ashok Rupshi Shah and Hitenkumar Amritlal Raja, told the court that they had legally purchased the property from Lima Company Limited through a sale agreement dated January 25, 2007, for Sh32 million.

They presented historical ownership records, which the court found were supported by an earlier Environment and Land Court judgment delivered on July 28, 2022, affirming their ownership.

The prosecution called 19 witnesses, including land registrars, officials from the State Department of Lands, surveyors and forensic document examiners.

A land registrar, Paulina Achieng Pesa, testified that her signature and official stamp appearing on documents used to support Chelogoi's title were forged.

She denied signing or stamping any documents authorising the transfer or registration of the property in Chelogoi's name.

The court also heard that a registry file relied upon to support the disputed registration did not correspond to the property but belonged to a separate parcel.

In his defence, Chelogoi maintained that he had been allocated the land in January 1995 by former President Daniel arap Moi and had paid a premium of Sh2.48 million.

He told the court that his demanding public service assignments and financial limitations delayed the regularisation of his ownership documents until June 2021.

However, the magistrate found that he had failed to produce sufficient authenticated documentation to counter the complainants' established ownership.

The magistrate further directed the Chief Land Registrar to cancel any parallel title deeds and registration details issued over the property, affirming the ownership of Shah and Raja.

Chelogoi's co-accused, former Assistant Deputy Director of Lands Administration Andrew Aseri Kirungu, was acquitted after the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence linking him to the alleged fraudulent registration.