Three people, among them a government official who is an employee of the government press printer Leonard Clifford Wafula, were on Thursday, April 17, 2025, charged in a land fraud case.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi, the three pleaded not guilty to 18 different charges.
The first accused person, Livingstone Ambayi, who was arrested at a residential house located along Desai Road within Ngara area, was charged with 16 different charges.
In the first three charges, Ambayi is accused of forging of stamps contrary to section 352 (b) of the Penal Code for being found in possession of an instrument capable of making impression of stamp bearing different three names of a land registrars.
On March 28, 2025, Ambayi was found with instruments capable of making impression of a stamps in the name C.S Maina – 235, I.R Jeptanui -439 and V, Njane 478 who are all land registrars.
“On or before March 28, 2025, at a house along Desai road in Starehe Sub-County without a lawful excuse, has in his possession an instrument capable of making an impression of a stamp in the name C.S Maina – 235, a land registrar,” part of the charge sheet read.
In count four and five, Ambayi was also found in possession of an instrument capable of making impression of a stamps of Mochonge O. Nicholus – 014 who is a land administration officer.
Additionally, he was also found with an instrument capable of making impression of stamp of two more a land registrars of A.W Mararia – 271 and C.N Kituyi – 215.
He was also charged with making false documents, contrary to section 347 (a) as read with section 349 of the Penal Code, for being found in possession of two false title deeds, serial numbers 29131 and 3894792, purporting them to be genuine and valid documents printed by the government printer of Kenya.
Further, the accused was also found in possession of public stores of blank land title deeds with serial numbers 0009913 and 0009912 and a fee receipt No. 6473492 of the state department for land and physical planning, property suspected of having been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Ambayi was also found with possession of public stores contrary to section 324(2) as read with section 36 of the Penal Code for being found in possession of public stores, nine green cards.
The nine green cards with serial numbers GPK-(SP) 7213 -200m-05/2023, two green cards both of serial numbers GPK-(L) 298- 250m-10/2023 and one with serial number GPK-(L) 810-450m 03/24 of the state department for land suspected to have been stolen or acquired unlawfully.
“On March 28, 2025, Ambayi was in possession of public stores namely nine Green cards of all serial numbers GPK (SP) 7213 -200m-05/2023, two green cards both of serial numbers GPK (L) 298 -250m- 10/2023 and one with serial number GPK-(L) 810-450m 03/24 of the state department for land,” read part of the charge sheet.
Leonard Clifford Wafula, an employee of the government press printer as printer II at the SP machine book production section, pleaded not guilty to one charge of unlawfully being in possession of public stores after he was found with 113 International Certificate of vaccination Ou de Prophylaxis of the ministry of health in his Umoja house with Nairobi County.
Paul Muigai Kimani also denied unlawfully being found in possession of public stores, namely two file covers of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The accused legal team led by the first accused lawyer Mwenda Muriungi, pleaded with the court to grant their clients reasonable bonds.
Principal Magistrate Ben Mark granted Ambayi a Ksh2 million bond with surety or alternative of a Ksh1 million cash bail, Wafula and Kimani were both released on Ksh600, 000 with surety or alternative of Ksh300, 000 cash bail.
The matter will be mentioned on May 20, 2025, for further directions.