An elderly Masaai trader has been charged alongside another businessman with defrauding the National Hospital National Insurance Fund a Sh1.5billion worth parcel of land in an upmarket zone in Nairobi.
But defence lawyer Philip Nyachoti told Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina that the Ministry of Lands (MoL) on May 30, 2022 disclosed vide a letter stating the land in question belonged to Peter Leparakwo.
“At the opportune time I wll lead evidence to show Peter Leparakwo , accused number one is innocent since he had been recognized that by the MoL that he is the legal and bonafide owner of the land in dispute,” Mr Nyachoti told the magistrate.
Leparakwo and Frederick Kimani denied denied twenty counts of forgery.
The two denied conspiring to defraud NHIF Sh1.5bn alleging they were in a position to sell the parastatal 9.50 hectares of land in Karen Nairobi.
Each of the two suspects who were charged shortly before 5pm were represented by city lawyer Philip Nyachoti.
Nyachoti said they are not a flight risk.
Chief magistrate Onyina freed each of the accused on a cash bail Sh400,000.
The subject property according to the prosecution measures 9.250 hectares belonging to National Hospital Insurance Fund.
The accused through their lawyers Philip Nyachoti and Onwong’a Orenge told the court that their clients have been charged on offences that have not been properly investigated on grounds that second accused person Kimani was charged with similar offences last year but the DPP withdrew the charges under section 87(a) of the criminal procedure code.
The matter will be mentioned on May 29 2023 for pre-trial directions.
