Three men were Tuesday charged in court for attempting to sell late veteran politician Nicholas Biwott’s trees valued at Sh60 Million.
Solomon Kiptanui, Margaret Jepchirchir and Milkah Cheruto were arraigned before Eldoret Chief Magistrate Charles Obulutsa.
They were accused of conspiring to con businessman Ibrahim Kassim Sh3 Million on grounds that they would sell him pine trees on a 300-acre piece of land belonging to the late Biwott.
Kiptanui tried to deceive Kassim that he was Biwott's son by claiming he was in charge of the land near Maria Soti Girls School in Keiyo South Constituency.
Jepchirchir and Milkah were accused of conspiring with workers at Biwott’s farm to convince Kassim that Kiptanui was Biwott’s heir.
Kassim, however, discovered he had been conned Sh3 Million after the suspects denied him a chance to cut down the trees.
"Despite several pleas, he refused to allow me to harvest the trees as he had promised," the businessman says in court papers.
The suspects denied the charges and were returned to detention as they could not afford the Sh1 Million bond slapped on each of them.
Magistrate Obulutsa scheduled their hearing for October 9.
Mr Biwott passed on at a Nairobi hospital on July 11 after a long illness.
Biwott, popularly known as 'Total Man', served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for 28 years in Keiyo-Marakwet and Keiyo South Constituencies.
The businessman also held eight senior ministerial positions, working alongside former Kenyan Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
