COURT STOPS TRANSFER OF SH5.3 BILLION TATU CITY LAND.

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Former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Nahashon Nyagah and her sister Jane Wambui leaving Milimani law courts. (FILE PHOTO)

By SAM ALFAN.

An order stopping the controversial sale of land that has sacked in the CID boss Ndegwa Muhoro’s name in Tatu city land scam has been issued.

Foreign investors secured orders blocking the sale and transfer of more than 2,000 acres of rich farmland worth Sh5.3billion to third parties.

High Court Judge Charles Kariuki ruled that it was in the interest of all the warring parties to preserve the properties in Kiambu County at the centre of an acrimonious fall-out between the foreign and local partners.

The sanctions, which were first imposed against the group allied to former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Nahashon Nyagah and industrialist Vimal Shah on May 12, last year, will also remain in force until April 20 when the dispute will be heard.

The international investors have accused their Kenyan minority partners of attempting to alienate and sell the land in Kiambu County parties in a deliberate attempt to swindle them before the ownership dispute is heard and concluded.

Senior Counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi, who is representing the parent firm Tatu City Ltd and its subsidiary Kofinaf Company Ltd, argued before Justice Kariuki that the properties were at risk of being off-loaded to prospective buyers and the foreign investors were likely to suffer great financial loss.

The conservatory orders lapsed on March 15 when the matter was mentioned before the Deputy Registrar without the knowledge of representatives of the international businessmen, Ahmednassir said, adding that there was very high likelihood of the property changing hands illegally.

The investors say they had already sold the prime land to a local developer-Daykio Plantations-but have been unable to transfer ownership upon discovery that their local rivals had unlawfully secured possession of the property through Purple Saturn Properties Ltd.

Meanwhile, the international investors want Nyagah’s sister, Jane Wambui Gacoka and associate Samuel Ojoro Malaki, punished for disobeying orders restraining the local shareholders from convening any meetings relating to the business affairs of Tatu City Ltd, Kofinaf Company Ltd and their subsidiaries.

The sanctions were imposed by Justice Francis Gikonyo onMay 13, last year but Wambui had confirmed that a meeting was held at Tatu House on January 11 to discuss a bank loan in which the disputed land was to be offered as security.

“The two have deliberately and repeatedly elected to disobey the order. Their actions are an outrage and direct attack on the administration of justice and the dignity of the court,” lawyer Tom Macharia said.

 

The application will be argued on April 20.

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