A Meru lawyer has denied three counts of forgery and conspiracy to defraud a businessman of land valued at Sh4million.
Mr Jackson Mukaria Muriungi is said to have forged a letter of consent for change of ownership of plot number BKL 11/698 to read Hudson Mutugi Francis.
He then allegedly made the said fraudulent letter, purporting it to be a genuine document issued by ministry of land and physical planning, housing, urban development and public works, Meru.
The former civil servant then allegedly pretended Mr Mutegi had been allocated the parcel of land from the said ministry, and attempted to defraud businessman Naftali Mwiti Iruki of the plot.
This is said to have happened at Meru ministry of land and physical planning offices on diverse dates between March 5 1997 and August 4, 2015
Mr Muriungi who was represented by lawyer Thuranira Atheru, denied the offence and was released on a Sh500,000 cash bail or a Sh1 million bond.
Meru Resident Magistrate Abrovina Nyamweya fixed the case for mention on May 16, 2024 for directions.
The State has lined up four witnesses among them Mr Mwiti. During the arraignment, Mr Atheru frantically sought to have Mr Muriungi released on favourable bail terms, saying he was not a flight risk.
“The accused is an officer of this court. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. He practices within the jurisdiction of this court and has a standing of more than 10 years.
“It is also clear that he has been a public servant, and what he is charged with may have been done in the cause of his duty… There is no way, that charge can compel him to be a flight risk,” argued Mr Atheru.
However, State Counsel Brenda Nandwa who was assisted by lawyer Joel Mutuma urged the court to grant bond terms equal to the said offence. Mr Atheru also sought and was granted copies of witness statements and the documents to be used in the case.
