Senator Sonko leads youth in stopping alleged land grabbing

Suspected land grabbers in Nairobi’s Westland’s area who attempted to evict a 75-year-old woman from her land were on Friday evening busted before they could fence the prime land.

The land, located along Peponi Road near Oil Libya is originally owned by Rekha Suresh Shah who is now facing eviction from a private developer who is claiming ownership.

However, Nairobi Senator, Gidion Mbuvi alias Mike Sonko, led a group of 300 youth to the land to stop the illegal development saying the rightful owner of the land is Ms Shah who acquired it in 1996 and later secured a 43-year old lease renewal which is still valid.

Sonko accuses the Spring Valley Police Officers of reluctance in dealing with the case even after the old woman lodged an official complaint at the station.

“It seems the area police bosses are behind this group, how comes strangers can bring bulldozers to a private property in broad daylight and even start fencing someone’s land without legal documents?” posed the Senator.

A private developer identified as a Mr Peter Kibet is accused of grabbing the land claiming ownership on grounds that it belongs to his father.

The incident comes just days after a city businessman demolished a multimillion-shilling house in Parklands area belonging to an elderly couple.

Francis Nyaga Njeru has already been charged in court with nine counts of crime including forgery of a title deed to the disputed land; malicious damage to a property and making a document without authority.

It is alleged that Njeru with intent to defraud Nazmudin Habib Kassam Kurji his parcel of land, forged a deed plan purporting it to be genuine deed plan signed by Peter Francis Njoroge-a senior land surveyor.

Njeru denied all the charges before senior Principal Magistrate Charity Oluoch who released him on Ksh 1 million cash bail or a bond of 3million with surety of similar amount.