A notorious land fraudster operating in Eldoret town has been charged in court.
William Kimei Tanui, the suspect, is accused of being part of a fraudulent scheme targeting prime land parcels in Eldoret township.
He appeared before Eldoret Law Courts facing charges of conspiracy to defraud, perjury, and obtaining land registration by misrepresenting facts in court.
Kimei’s arrest on Friday by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) followed a complaint from the distressed owner of a 0.0929-hectare plot in the Pioneer area of Eldoret South.
The landowner had been unable to take full control of or develop her property due to threats from Kimei.
Investigations revealed that Kimei had, on October 16, 2023, filed an affidavit at the High Court claiming to have been in occupation of the land since 1971, misleading the court into declaring him the legitimate owner of the land, which is valued at approximately Ksh 50 million.
Meanwhile, two other suspects, Margaret Jemutai Kangogo and Zendera Kiplagat Biwott, had filed affidavits in a lower court on January 25, 2023, claiming to have occupied the same parcel of land since 1999.
However, their fraudulent efforts were interrupted when Kimei began making inquiries about the land.
While the two fraudulent groups clashed in their deceitful attempts, the victims eventually realized that despite holding relevant documents, they had no real ownership of the property. Desperate for help, they sought police assistance. Kimei was tracked down and arrested, but Kangogo and Biwott remain at large.
“A warrant for the arrest of the two is active. Upon his arraignment, Kimei pleaded not guilty to all charges and was granted a Sh 200,000 bond, or a cash bail of Sh 50,000,” said the DCI.
The case is scheduled for mention on February 17, 2025.