Court summons Ruto over land grab case

Eldoret North MP William Ruto (left) and Adrian Muteshi (right). Mr Ruto has been directed December 13, 2012 to appear in court over a case where he is accused of grabbing Mr Muteshi's land during the post-election violence.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto has been directed to appear in court over a case where he is accused of grabbing land during the post-election violence.

High Court judge Rose Ougo directed Mr Ruto to appear in court on February 4 and 5 and present his witness to testify in the case where Adrian Muteshi has accused the MP of grabbing and occupying his farm in Turbo.

The case was adjourned to February 2013.

The adjournment was sought by Mr. Ruto's lawyer after he failed to present a witness said to have fallen ill and is on bed rest.

Mr Muteshi accuses Mr Ruto of grabbing his 100-acre farm after he fled during the 2008 post-election violence. Besides seeking the farm back, he wants Mr Ruto to compensate him and pay the cost of the suit.

Mr Ruto has denied grabbing the land and had offered to vacate it early this year. The Eldoret North MP has stated that he did not know that the land had been irregularly transferred before he bought it.

Mr Muteshi fled the land, located in Mr Ruto’s constituency, at the height of the 2007/08 violence.

The farm is in Turbo, Uasin Gishu, which is one of the areas that were most affected by the clashes.

Some 1,133 people were killed and 650,000 were displaced.

Mr Muteshi filed the suit in 2010 after he allegedly discovered that those who had moved into the farm had been brought in by Mr Ruto.