Sh400m fraud case: Tycoon's nephew ordered to appear in court 'on crutches or ICU bed'

Court gavel. [Courtesy]

The court in Mombasa has directed the nephew of the late Mombasa tycoon Jaswant Dhanjal to appear in court, whether in a wheelchair or ICU bed, to plead to fraud charges.

Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo ordered that Joginder Singh appear before his court on Monday to answer to charges of fraudulently selling a prime piece of land valued at Sh400 million that was to be shared among his five cousins.

“The suspect is to appear before the court on Monday, whether on crutches or bedridden in ICU, to take a plea,” said Odhiambo.

Prosecution Counsel Barbara Sombo applied for a warrant of arrest to be issued against Joginder after he failed to appear in court for the second time to plead to the charges.

Sombo said that Joginder was using sickness to delay justice and questioned the authenticity of the medical report that recommended his bed rest for a week.

Joginder is accused of selling off eight parcels of land in Mombasa Business District that were part of the tycoon's multi-billion-dollar properties.

The late Jaswant left multi-billion-dollar estates that have been the subject of protracted dispute between his three sons and the sons of his brothers. 

It is alleged that between May 19, 2019, and July 8, 2019, Joginder conspired to defraud Jaypee and Sons Limited of eight parcels of land valued at sh400 million.

However, Joginder’s lawyer, Daniel Wamotsa, told the court that his client had been given an extended bed rest for a week after he relapsed on September 2, 2025.

On August 26, Joginder failed to take a plea after being taken ill and given a week of bed rest and a review after two weeks.

According to court papers, Joginder allegedly subdivided the said parcels that are subject to distribution among the five sons of the late billionaire.

He is accused of subdividing and registering the said parcels into 20 more parallel title deeds while purporting they are genuine and valid subdivisions and title deeds.

Joginder also faces another charge of pretending to be the sole director of Ms Jaypee and Sons Limited and purporting that the titles were genuine.

On October 9, 2020, Justice Mugure Thande ordered the expeditious distribution of the vast multi-billion estate of Jaswant among his five children, in a protracted succession dispute that has lasted over two decades.

Justice Thande directed the administrators of Jaswant’s estate to proceed to distribute the 22 listed properties among the rightful beneficiaries.

Among the properties are prestigious tourist hotels, residential properties 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 in common.

Their siblings are Jaspal Kaur Nagi, Sukhwant Kaur Kindi, Surjit Singh, Jaswant Dhanjal and Daljit Singh Dhanjal, who inherited the properties.

The judge noted that since the demise of the deceased on October 26, 2004, and the issuance of the initial and subsequent grants, the estate has 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 parcels.

The lawyer said that those who are not before the court might interfere with the property. Dr Aoko said that they will apply for the court to visit the scene.

“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,” said Dr Aoko.