Former VP Moody Awori denies Karen land-grab claim

Former Vice-President Moody Awori on Wednesday denied allegations that a company in which he served as a director defrauded the widow of a former provincial commissioner of a disputed land in Karen, Nairobi.

While being cross-examined by lawyer William Arusei for Ms Carmelina Mburu, the widow of PC John Godhard Mburu, Mr Awori said Muchanga Investment Ltd acquired the disputed land mainly because its owner had died.

He insisted Muchanga had a title for the 134-acre land, indicating that it was registered in the Lands registry on February 11, 1983 at 3.15pm.

He said the company paid Barclays Bank Sh1,250,000 for the land.

NO RESPONSE

But when asked to respond on whether the land was acquired fraudulently, he said he had no response to that question.

He also confirmed letters exchanged between lawyers and the bank over the purchase of that land.

“The land was sold because the owner was dead…I can’t remember seeing the sales agreement,” he said.

Mr Awori was testifying in the case in which Muchanga, through lawyer Cecil Miller sued Habenga Holdings Ltd, Jina Enterprises Ltd, Telesource.com Ltd, the director of surveyors, the lands ministry, the director of physical planning and the chief lands registrar in 2014.

The bank is listed as an interested party in the case and was once an administrator of the property until its initial owner, Mr Arnold Bradley, died in 1974.

Hearing continues.