Group accuses Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri of withholding money for buying land

A land-buying company has accused Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri of allegedly swindling them Sh600,000 in a botched land deal in Nakuru.

Bidii Farmers Self Help Group said they had earmarked the money for the purchase of a piece of land belonging to the Agricultural Finance Corporation in Ngorika 10 years ago.

The group's Secretary Reverend Harrison Muraya claimed they deposited Sh460,000 in the MPs Standard Chartered Bank Ltd account to earn interest to enable them acquire the farm.

A letter signed by the group officials dated September 5, 2005 seen by The Standard authorised Wetangula and Co Advocates to transfer Sh460,000 to Ngunjiri's bank account "who will keep the money in an interest earning account with whom we have agreed to increase the money to Sh624,000."

Muraya, however, alleged that the MP did not honour the agreement and instead only paid Sh200,000 to the AFC, which resulted in the company failing to acquire the land.

"We have for years tried to have the MP return the money, but he has been dodging us and our members are frustrated," he told The Standard.

In a letter dated April 2007, the group, through Rubua Ngure and Company Advocates, wrote to the MP threatening legal action if he does not return the money in 14 days.

The letter according to Muraya was not replied to.

"That in the year 2005 you fraudulently obtained the aforementioned amount of money from the claimants promising to help them acquire and or purchase AFC LR No Ngorika (Settlement Scheme)10448/3," the advocates stated.

The group comprised of people displaced by ethnic clashes in the region had intended to buy the land to settle.

According to the group, they intended to raise Sh24,000 to use as down payment for the land, which was being sold for Sh7.2 million.

forfeit money

A letter by Mr PK Kirui for AFC acknowledges the organisation's willingness to sell the land to the self help group on payment of a down payment of Sh1.8 million, and the balance was to be paid within three months.

"Failure to pay the total purchase price within the specified period will lead to forfeiture of any sum that may have been paid," AFC said in their agreement with the group over purchase of the land.

Muraya said the group missed out on the opportunity to buy the land due to failure by the MP to release the money.

"Since then, we have made many attempts to have the MP give us back the money in vain," he added.

But the MP dismissed the accusations, saying he cannot remember being involved in such a transaction with the group.

"It would be difficult to remember things that took place 10 years ago. These allegations are baseless," he said and accused the group's officials of political witch-hunt.

He said the group's officials may be trying to use him as a scapegoat after squandering the money.

"They should follow up the issue with their lawyer and stop dragging my name into issues that I am not aware of," the MP added.

The Bahati MP also has an assault case pending in court. He is facing two separate charges after he allegedly assaulted a police officer in Nakuru town.