Mombasa, KENYA: Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa Kariuki is expected to appear before a Mombasa court on Monday (13th March) to face charges on the alleged forging of a dead man’s signature to obtain land.
The MP is alleged to have forged the late Omar Kola Barisa’s signature and obtained 4.5 hectares parcel of land in Hindu area within Lamu County.
Mr. Ndegwa allegedly used false pretense to obtain power of attorney certificate which he then used to sell a parcel of land to two businessmen Yussuf Sufi Abasheikh and Mohaddin Abasheikh for Sh.4, 000,000.
According to the prosecution, the offence was committed on or before 27th February 2013 in Lamu County.
Ndegwa allegedly issued six bouncing cheques to the businessmen as a refund for the plot he had sold to them in 2014, after it backfired.
The MP was scheduled to take plea on Wednesday in a Mombasa court but his lawyer Jared Magolo requested for three more days and the court released him on a surety bond of Sh.500, 000.
Mr. Ndegwa later moved to high court seeking orders to stop the charges being read against him, claiming Mombasa court lacked jurisdiction to charge him on offences allegedly committed in Lamu County.
However, on Friday Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony dismissed the application and ordered the MP to be charged in a Mombasa court on Monday 13th March.
Mr.Ndegwa and six members of CDF committee in Lamu County are also facing charges of misuse of office in 2015.
They allegedly jointly through corrupt and fraudulent practices, caused an irregular transfer of sh.1.6 million to the Lamu CDF office account, which was allocated for the construction of the Witu Livestock Cattle Dip.
They pleaded not guilty before Mombasa chief magistrate Julius Nang’ea and were released on a cash bail of sh. 1 million each.
Prosecution had set to complete the case on Friday, but court adjourned after defense team brought a letter in court from Mombasa hospital showing that one of the accused person was in the ICU.
Muteti alleged that the MP’s defense team had already sensed danger a head of August polls and were dragging case to enable the MP contest for his political seat.
