Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua has been accused of grabbing land belonging to an elderly man situated near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
In a report published by Business Daily on Monday, February 22, John Ohas, who served as director of physical planning at the Land Ministry in the 1980s, filed a suit seeking to have a title deed held by the lawmaker revoked.
The title deed of the land valued at Ksh1.5 billion is registered in the name of Wamunyoro Investment Ltd, a company associated with Gachagua.
According to court documents, Ohas claims that he was allocated the parcel in 1994 by former President Daniel Arap Moi, before his retirement in 1996.
He claimed that he was allocated the land alongside four other people including former minister Taita Towett, Francis Maritim and Afro-Anglo Investment and paid Ksh50,000 as an allotment fee for the land.
Ohas further noted that he fell ill in 1996 and sought treatment in the UK, which is around the time he suspects Gachagua acquired the land.
“With the help of Lands officials, they hid file No. 157048, stole the Deed Plan No. 192966 and registered the title IR. No 90923 in the name of Karandi Farm Ltd, Peter Mbugua and Pauline Mulinge.
"When my family members who were in a dire need of funds for my treatment tried to access the suit property in order to sell the same, they were chased by youths stationed to guard the property," stated Ohas.
He further noted that attempts to rectify the situation were futile because Gachagua did not turn up for meetings on three occasions.
Ohas listed Gachagua, his wife Dorcas, Karandi Farm Limited, Wamunyoro Investment Ltd, Peter Mbugua, Pauline Mulinge, Attorney-General, Land registrar and National Lands Commission as respondents in the case.
Separately, Gachagua is being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over embezzlement of public funds amounting to Ksh12 billion.
Gachagua was arrested by detectives from the DCI over the Ksh12.5 Billion scandal.
DCI stated that 22 companies were beneficiaries of the alleged multi-billion illegal tenders from the national and county governments.
The MP's bank accounts were frozen by detectives seeking to establish the source of the sum that passed through his accounts.
The frozen accounts contained Ksh202 Million with one account having Ksh35 Million another Ksh165 million and two more with Ksh1.1 million and Ksh700,000.
