Deputy President William Ruto has been ordered to pay five million shillings to a farmer for trespassing on his 100-acre farm in Uasin Gishu County.
Lady Justice Rose Ougo ruled Friday that the land belonged to Adrian Muteshi but he was deprived of it.
The judgement ends a dispute that started in when Mr Muteshi sued Mr Ruto and others.
Mr Muteshi, who said he fled the land in 2008 during the post-election violence, had accused Mr Ruto of grabbing his farm.
In final submissions presented in court in May, Mr Muteshi accused Mr Ruto of failing to present himself for questioning and three witnesses who could have helped the court with important evidence.
The Deputy President maintained he was innocent and denied any role in the fraudulent transfer of Mr Muteshi’s land to Dorothy Yator before it was sold to him.
His chief defence witness Hosea Ruto had indicated that he facilitated a meeting attended by Mr Ruto and two men, Peter Kosgei and Bethwell Kipsang.
The three struck a deal to sell the land to Mr Ruto during the meeting that took place at his office when he was Agriculture minister, the witness said.
Mr Ruto’s lawyer Katwa Kigen submitted that the Deputy President acted in good faith and exercised due diligence when acquiring the property.
“He was not party to any impropriety that may have been perpetrated,” Mr Kigen told the court.
Mr Muteshi’s lawyers dismissed Mr Ruto’s claim of innocence saying the plot to grab Mr Muteshi’s land was hatched at the meeting with Mr Kipsang and Mr Kosgei.-nation.co.ke
