Former Kapkures MCA fined Sh550,000 in Sh30 million land case

Former Kapkures ward Member of County Assembly Paul Kimutai and Richard Langat were handed a fine of Sh 550,000 each after they were found guilty of four counts of fraud and forgery in relation to a sh30 million land in Barut, Nakuru County.

The sentencing was delivered on January 11 by Senior Resident Magistrate Priscah Nyotah.

“I considered a non-custodial sentence would still serve the objectives of sentencing so they are going to pay fines and for count one the fine is 150,000 count two 150,000 count three 150,000 and count four Sh100,000” she says.

The duo was found guilty on January 30 for forging a family agreement on October 12, 2010, which allegedly transferred the 6.6-hectare land into their names.

On Thursday, Senior Resident Magistrate Priscah Nyotah ruled that Kimutai and Kipng’eno forged a family agreement on October 12, 2010, which transferred the 6.6-hectare land into their names.

In her judgement the Senior Resident Magistrate, said that the two were guilty of forging the land title deed on November 14, 2012, with the intent to defraud Josiah Njoroge, the legitimate owner of the land.

“The title deed, coupled with the illegal transmission process can properly be described as a false document since it purports to confirm the accused persons as genuine owners, yet they are not,” ruled Nyotah.

In addition, it was established that the two forged a green card for the land on November 14, 2012, falsely claiming it had been opened on June 7, 1990.

Nyotah further noted that the prosecution’s evidence, in its totality, was consistent, logical, and believable, and it was not shaken nor watered down by the defence.

“The two failed to provide evidence of how they acquired the land from their father, Chepchilat Rotich, after his death, without a grant of letters of administration” she notes.

Former Kapkures ward Member of County Assembly Paul Kimutai (left) and Richard Lang’at