Eldoret man denies grabbing land belonging to former ICC suspect's wife

An Eldoret businessman has been charged with fraudulently acquiring prime properties in Eldoret.

Hosea Ruto is accused of defrauding, among others, Ruth Nyambura, who is the widow of the late lawyer Paul Gicheru, an advocate who was facing a witness tampering charge at the International Criminal Court.

Ruto appeared before Eldoret Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyan and denied nine counts of land fraud.

The charges facing him include making a document without authority under the name of Ruth Nyambura for a parcel number Block 5/835 within Eldoret City.

Ruto is also accused of giving false information to police officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unit about the land fraud charges facing him.

The State has lined up two key witnesses, among them Nyambura, who are set to testify against the businessman.

According to the prosecution, Ruto, jointly with others not before the court, made a lease certificate under the name of Christine Kemei for another prime parcel, Eldoret Municipality/Block/585, dated July 1, 2015, purporting to be a genuine and valid document signed by the Lands Registrar.

Ruto also faced charges of faking a land lease certificate dated November 12, 2011, for a prime parcel of plot, Eldoret Municipality/Block 5/835 under his name to the DCI officer Stephen Juma.

The court was told the accused committed the offence on October 13, 2024, at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation office in Eldoret police station.

Ruto pleaded with the court to grant him reasonable and lenient bond or bail terms, saying he was ailing and that he was not a flight risk.

"I plead that you grant me reasonable bail or bond terms to enable me to continue with my treatment at St Luke's hospital," said Ruto

He was released on a bond of Sh500,000 or a cash bail of Sh200,000.