A former senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was on Monday, October 17, 2022, charged before a Nairobi court with defrauding a businessman of land worth Ksh40 million situated in Karen.
Rose Jelagat Boit who appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Wendy Kagendo denied five charges of conspiracy to defraud, forging signatures of lands Commissioner S.K.W Wangila P.N Mutwiwa and a deputy commissioner of land administration, and presenting the forged allotment letter issued by the Ministry of Lands Ardhi house Nairobi county at Karen police station.
The prosecution alleges that Boit at unknown dates and places within the republic of Kenya, jointly with others at large, conspired to defraud businessman Abdi Rashid Abdul Sharifow of a parcel of land measuring 0.2 hectares by forging an allotment letter in 1998. The land which is situated at Karen is valued at Ksh 40 million.
The former senior civil servant was also charged with forging the signature of Mutwiwa on a letter of allotment dated December 14, 1998, purporting to be a genuine letter of allotment signed by the said Commissioner.
In the third count, Boit was charged with forging the signature of S.K.W Wangila for a Commissioner of lands on an allotment letter dated December 14, 1998, purporting to have been signed by S.K.W Wangila in an attempt to defraud the complainant.
Leniency
After denying the charges, Boit through her lawyer urged the court to grant her lenient and reasonable bail terms as a long-serving civil servant in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she has worked for over 40 years.
The lawyer also told the court that the suspect has worked in many countries in Africa including Ethiopia and Zambia and that she has a reputation to guard.
“I pray that this court protects her reputation by granting her reasonable bail terms, she is not a flight risk, and she has no intention of interfering with any of the witnesses. We pray that a reasonable cash bail of Ksh100,000 will be sufficient,” the defence counsel said.
The prosecution led by prosecutor Gikunda did not object to her release on bond pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Gikunda also urged the court to order the accused to present herself before Capitol Hill Police Station for taking of her fingerprints.
The Magistrate however granted her a bond of Ksh1 million with an alternative cash bail of Ksh300,000 with two contact persons.
She was also ordered to present herself at Capitol Hill Police Station for processing by the detectives.
The case will be mentioned on October 31 for pre-trial.
