Court denies gospel singer Ringtone bail in Sh50M land fraud case

Gospel singer Alex Apoko before Milimani Law Courts where he was charged with fraud charges.
[Nancy Gitonga]

A Nairobi court has denied bail to Gospel singer Alex Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone, who is accused of defrauding a woman of a parcel of land in Karen worth Sh50 million.

Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego on Thursday declined to release Apoko and his co-accused, Alfred Juma Ayora, after they pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud businesswoman Teresia Adhiambo Odhiambo.

The magistrate directed that Apoko be remanded at the Industrial Area Prison until Monday, May 19, when a pre-bail report will be presented in court.

Apoko and Ayora face multiple charges, including conspiracy to defraud, false swearing, and perjury.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the two are accused of conspiring to fraudulently acquire land measuring 0.1908 hectares in Karen by falsely claiming adverse possession.

The prosecution alleges that on February 28, 2023, they conspired to defraud Odhiambo by asserting that Ayora had occupied the land for over 20 years, a claim the ODPP says was knowingly false.

Ayora is further accused of swearing a false affidavit before Advocate and Commissioner for Oaths S.M. Katonya, claiming he had lived on the land, registered as NAIROBI/BLOCK 99/142, for two decades.

In a related charge of perjury, Ayora allegedly gave false testimony in a judicial proceeding before the Environment and Land Court in Case No. E012 of 2023 (OS), where he was the petitioner and Odhiambo and the Chief Land Registrar were the respondents.

The prosecution says he knowingly lied in an affidavit filed in court about residing on the disputed land.

Apoko appeared in court after a warrant for his arrest was issued on May 7, 2025, for failing to attend two prior court sessions.

During the court proceedings, the singer claimed he was unwell and requested lenient bond terms.

However, Magistrate Alego ordered his detention until May 19, when his bail application will be determined.