Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama was on
Thursday fined Sh1.5 million in a land fraud case. The legislator faces up to six
months in jail if he is unable to settle the fine. According to evidence
produced in court, the MP abused his office and authority to fraudulently acquire a piece of land in Nakuru.
The parcel of land has been identified as
Nakuru Municipality 6/95 which was owned by Mr. Muhammad Nisar Ahmed.
It was claimed that between August 3, 2015, and August 11, 2015, Arama conspired with
four individuals to swindle Nisar for the piece of land.
The MP and 4 other individuals
were accused of forging a land sale agreement that purported to be signed by
Mr. Yusufu Mustafah Ratemo for a plot of land belonging to Nisar.
Three of the coaccused were former
Nakuru land officers.
They were also found guilty by Anti-graft Court Chief
Magistrate Victor Wakumile and were each fined Sh1,040,000. They also face
up to six months in jail if they fail to pay the fine.
The attorney who handled the deal was fined Sh560,000, failure to
which he would also serve six months in jail.
As the title
was restored to the owner, this served as one of the mitigating factors during sentencing.
"I
have considered the mitigation as guided by the policy guidelines...they are
not been condemned...the property in question was restored and therefore never
benefited," the court noted
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