The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has filed a suit seeking to recover a prime land valued at Ksh200 million located in the heart of Eldoret Central Business District.
In a statement on Thursday, EACC said the land, which measures a total of 3.44 acres and was originally reserved for government housing.
The land is alleged to have been fraudulently and illegally alienated for the benefit of Wilfred Kitur Kimalat, a former Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration and National Security, and Endo Holdings Limited, a company associated with the late Ishmael Chelang’a.
“At the time, Mr. Chelang’a served in senior public roles, including that of Provincial Commissioner for Rift Valley Province. Mr. Wilson Gacanja, the then Commissioner of Lands, has been named in the suit for breach of his statutory and fiduciary duties,” EACC stated.
The commission contends that the land where two government houses still stand was not available for allocation as the same had been reserved and in use for public purposes.
EACC investigations established that the two houses are still under the management of the State Department of Housing and Urban Development and therefore remain public property.
EACC is seeking court declarations that the leases issued by the Commissioner of Lands, along with all subsequent transfers, are null and void. It argues that these transactions were irregular and should not be recognized in law.
In addition, the commission is calling for the cancellation of all related land registrations, a permanent injunction to stop any further dealings with the land, and an order directing that the property be registered in trust for the State Department of Housing and Urban Development.
