Shops razed as woman evicted from ex-MP's land
Ms Grace Wairimu Sorora during a past interview. The businesswoman has been engaged in a legal tussle over a multi-million shilling piece of land in Nairobi's Woodley estate with former Marakwet East MP David Sudi. On Sunday, May 13, 2018 police deployed to enforce an eviction order destroyed property belonging to Ms Sorora and her tenants after Mr Sudi won the court battle. PHOTO | FILE | NATION
What you need to know:
- The multi-million shilling property was occupied by the businesswoman, Mrs Grace Wairimu Sorora, her agents and tenants, who had constructed temporary structures.
Kilimani OCPD Michael Muchiri, who oversaw the eviction, said a notice had been served to the tenants to vacate the premises.
- Mrs Sorora, the widow of the late Francis Sorora Oloitiptip, lost the 10-year legal battle for ownership of the prime land allocated to her husband by the defunct Nairobi City Council.
Tens of structures were Sunday demolished at Nairobi’s Woodley estate on a land that has been the subject of a tussle between a businesswoman and former Marakwet West MP David Sudi.
Police were deployed to enforce a court order after tenants who ran businesses on the one-acre land became rowdy.
The multi-million shilling property was occupied by the businesswoman, Mrs Grace Wairimu Sorora, her agents and tenants, who had constructed temporary structures such as eateries and shops. The structures were demolished a day after Mr Sudi through DM Ambao Advocates gave the businesswoman a notice to vacate the property.
EARTH MOVER
Kilimani OCPD Michael Muchiri, who oversaw the eviction, said a notice had been served to the tenants to vacate the premises. “We have let them remove their property safely because an earth mover would have damaged it,” Mr Muchiri said.
The National Land Commission (NLC) had last week asked the National Police Service to expedite the eviction of tenants from the land.
“The commission wishes that you fully reinforce the order given that the law protects the right to land and property,” a letter signed by NLC Chair Swazuri Muhammad indicated.
Mr Sudi had been entangled in a case involving the land claimed by Mrs Sorara. He was declared the rightful owner of the property in March,2, 2015. He bought the land valued at approximately Sh100 million from Deposit Protection Fund in 2009.
DOCUMENTS
Mrs Sorora, the widow of the late Francis Sorora Oloitiptip, lost the 10-year legal battle for ownership of the prime land, which had been allocated to her husband by the defunct Nairobi City Council.
The Court of Appeal upheld an earlier judgment that Mr Sudi was the rightful owner of the suit property.
During the eight-year tussle for the prime property located near Winners’ Chapel, Mrs Sorora was arraigned before Kibera Magistrates Court for forgery of land documents. She was also charged with perjury as she had allegedly lied to the court that she was the legitimate owner of the land.
The court had ordered Mrs Sorora to pay Sh100,000 to Chaka Ltd, which was represented by lawyer Ham Lagat, as nominal damages for trespass.
12 YEARS
Mrs Sorara had not vacated the property despite the NLC, the county government and the courts directing her to do so. Nation learnt that the tenants remit up to Sh2 million monthly in rent despite their single business permits also being revoked.
The late Sorora had instituted the suit on July 19, 2007 claiming ownership of the land, but died before the hearing of the case.
Mrs Sorara substituted him five years later, seeking to be declared the rightful owner by adverse possession on the basis that she had occupied the land for more than 12 years.
