Police have recommended prosecution of former Lands minister James Orengo and six other people for abuse of office involving irregular allocation of 500,000 acres in Lamu county.
The CID on Wednesday also recommended to Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko that former Lands Commissioner Zablon Mabeya face similar charges.
Also facing likely prosecution are former Lamu County Com- missioner Patrick Ikua , Chief Government title authenticating officer Muthomi Ndirangu and three private surveyors based at the Coast.
Directors of 14 of the 22 ranches and firms that irregularly acquired large tracts of land will be charged alongside government officials, police said.
On July 31, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the revocation of title deeds for 500,000 acres in Lamu that he said had been grabbed by 22 organisation.
The President ordered investigations into how the land owned by the government was transferred to individuals and 22 companies while Orengo was Lands minister. Orengo has denied any wrongdoing.
The President said most of the land in Lamu had been grabbed by criminal elements between April 2012 and November 2012, despite a moratorium on transactions involving public land.
The illegal acquisitions took place during the coalition administration of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, when Orengo was Lands minister.
The grabbed parcel accounts for 70 percent of all land in the county, leaving 30 per cent for locals. Much of the desirable land is linked to development of the Lamu Port and South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor project, and will appreciate dramatically in value. Yesterday, the Star learnt police have recommended the directors of the firms be charged with conspiracy to defraud the government of land.
Former Lands PS in the Kibaki administration Dorothy Angote, who was among the top government officials questioned over the land, has not be charged. Sources at DPP’s office familiar with the investigations said Tobiko had appointed a team of six state counsel to scrutinise files and make recommendations.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspects could be charged in court as early as next week, should Tobiko agree with the CID to press charges.
Police told the DPP they faced major obstacles in their investigations because of limited information and limited documents that could be obtained from the Lands office. As a result, they could not obtain crucial documents that would have aided their investigations, the sources said.
Orengo was questioned about the names and directors of the 22 companies that were issued title deeds, among other things. The National Lands Commission conducted public hearings to collect information and reported to the President.
Uhuru posted on his Facebook page he had been briefed on irregular allocation of Lamu land, the hiving off and allocation of land belonging to Stat Houses and State Lodges across the country.
Beneficiaries of the land in Lamu include Panda Nguo Boni Community, Amu Ranch, Lamu Investments, Enganani Ranch, Baragoni Ranch, Cyberdom Investments, Khalrala Ranch, Baragoni Boni Community, Mokowe Ki- bokoni Ranch Limited, Savannah Fresh Fruits Exports, Dynamic Trading Company, Sheila Ranch Ltd, Kaab Investments, and Fin- corp Investments (K) Ltd.
Others are Shanghai Investment, Witu Conservative Self Help Group, Witu Nyangoro (DA) Company, Mat Internation- al, Rusken International Ltd and Brick Investments Ltd.
Source-the-star.co.ke
