Sh70million land fraud case against Nakuru politician Karunjigi Munyua kick-off
The first witness in a case implicating Nakuru politician and ex-gubernatorial aspirant in the 2022 General Elections Nicholas Karunjigi Munyua involving Sh70million land fraud took to the witness stand at the Milimani Law Courts narrating how he was conned.
Edward Mungatana was the first witness to testify how Karunjigi allegedly defrauded him.
Last year, Karunjigi was arraigned before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego on October 25, 2024 but he denied the charges.
He was charged last year for allegedly forging land documents to fraudulently acquire land worth Sh70million.
More witnesses are expected to take the witness stand from next week.
In one of the counts, it was stated that on different dates between October 30, 2022, and March 5, 2023, at an unknown place within the country jointly with others not before the court allegedly intended to defraud Mungatana and Martha Francesca Mugure Ndumari of their parcel of land valued at Sh70million.
The charge sheet added that he allegedly committed the offence by falsely pretending that he had purchased the said land, a fact they knew to be false.
In another count, it was stated that on diverse dates between February 08, 2023, and October 20, 2023, in Nairobi with intent to defraud obtained Sh29,800,000 from John Kamau Ngugi and Florence Nyanjihia Kabata by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell them the land situated in Runda, Nairobi a fact they knew to be false.
Karunjigi vied for the position of Nakuru governor during the 2022 polls as an independent candidate.
Last year, Karunjigi was charged with making a document without authority against Section 357(a) as read with Section 357(b) of the Penal Code.
The court was informed that on April 26,2023 at unknown place and with intentions of defrauding, Karunjigi made a certificate of lease for LR No. Nairobi block 112/72 in the name of Florence Nyanjihia Kabata and John Kamau Ngugi purporting it to be genuine certificate of lease issued at Nairobi Nairobi Land Registry.
Karunjigi faced a second count of obtaining land registration by false pretenses against the law.
He was charged that August 14, 2008 at Nairobi Land Registry within Nairobi county, he willfully and unlawfully procured for himself a certificate of lease for the said above land measuring 0.3091 hectares by falsely pretending that he were the sole rightful owner knowing it was untrue.
In the third count, Karunjigi was charged with conspiracy to defraud contrary to the law.
He is said to have pretended that he had purchased the said parcel of land knowing it was untrue.
In the last count, he was charged with obtaining money by false pretences against the law.
The accused was charged that on diverse dates between February 8,2023 and October 20,2023, he obtained Sh29,800,000 from John Kamau Ngugi and Florence Nyanjihia Kabata by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell to them a parcel of land mentioned above.
Karunjigi denied all the charges and was released on Sh5million bond or an alternative cash bail of Sh1million.
Alego released him on a bond of Sh5million or alternatively pay a cash bail of Sh1.5million.
The case will be mentioned on December 1, 2 and 3, 2025.
