Court hands politician in Sh26.5 billion fraud case temporary freedom
Court has handed temporary freedom to a politician who is battling charges of forging a title deed of a parcel of land measuring 89.4 hectares (223.5 acres) valued at Sh26.5 billion.
Elizabeth Sote Chesang, 58, who has been in detention detained at the Langata Women’s Prison was freed by Milimani chief magistrate Lucas Onyina after police confirmed she had not absconded court for 10 months.
Onyina heard Sote who had been summoned to court to answer charges of forgery and obtaining money through pretenses had been admitted at Kapsabet, Kericho, and Nakuru hospitals for all that while.
Sote who has denied the seven counts of charges preferred against her was freed on a cash bail of Sh1 million.
“I confirm the investigating officer has visited Kapsabet, Kericho, and Nakuru hospitals and established that the accused had been admitted to those health facilities for medication and treatment,” the prosecution submitted.
He did not the accused to be freed on bond.
The magistrate heard the medical records produced by Sote to support her temporary release are true treatment notes.
Sote has denied that alongside others she conspired to defraud Geoffrey Kiptoo Kiprop alias Kiptoo arap Chepkalum Sh6,517,190 pretending she was in a position to facilitate the subdivision and transfer of a portion of land measuring 89.4 hectares (over 223acres) registered in the name of one Joshua Kulei.
She reportedly claimed to be in a position to subdivide the 223.5acre upmarket vast land and then sell it in small plots.
She was accused of conspiring to defraud Kiprop over Sh6.5million over the same parcel of land.
She was further accused of forging the title of Kulei’s land claiming it was genuine having been signed by a land registrar Rosina Ndila Mule.
She was also accused of forging the signature of a registrar in the ministry of land namely Mr Robert Gachuki Gathondu.
The alleged signature was in a title deed of 1 hectare sold Kiprop by Elizabeth.
The case will be mentioned for pre-trial directions in two weeks.
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