A former lands registrar at Ardhi House has disowned a signature appearing on a lease for a piece of land worth Sh944 million in Donholm that is claimed by members of a self-help group.
Ms Ngong’a said she was not the person who signed the lease and cannot recall issuing any title to the self-help group.
The former lands official was testifying in a case where four members of a self-help group in Embakasi have been charged with conspiracy to defraud a company of its land.
A former lands registrar at Ardhi House has disowned a signature appearing on a lease for a piece of land worth Sh944 million in Donholm that is claimed by members of a self-help group.
Ms Rosemary Ngong’a told Milimani chief magistrate Wendy Kagendo on Wednesday that the signature appearing on the certificate of lease allegedly issued to the Sowesava Self-help group was a forgery.
She added that she could not recall issuing any title to the self-help group.
“I can categorically state that the title which I have been shown is a forgery and did not originate from the Lands office,” she said.
“Furthermore, I can state that a self-help group is not an entity that can be issued with a title. Procedurally, it should be the names of the trustees that appear on the title,” she stared.
The former lands official was testifying in a case where four members of a self-help group in Embakasi have been charged with conspiracy to defraud a company of its land.
The four, including former Kayole chief Alexander Hoops Shihemi, Patrobas Odoyo Awino, Peter Njoroge Kanika and Peter Gitau Muiruri, also face three other counts of forgery and making a false lease and title deed.
They are members of Sowesava self-help group that forged an allotment letter, lease and title deed of a parcel of land measuring 11.8 acres situated at Donholm area in Nairobi, belonging to Gidjoy investment ltd.
Another witness Ng’arwa Kamunya also stated that his signature appearing on the said lease as an advocate, was a forgery. The advocate said he cannot recall dealing with the said self-help group.
The accused persons were further accused of conspiring to defraud Gidjoy investments limited by falsely pretending that they had a genuine title dated November 28, 2001, issued and signed by Ms Ngong’a.
