A former KTN and NTV journalist and his wife have been charged with 12 counts linked to the alleged fraudulent acquisition of a prime parcel of land in Syokimau valued at a staggering Ksh1.176 billion.
John Mugo Njeru and his wife, Editor Irima Mugo, appeared before the Mavoko Law Courts this week, where they denied charges of conspiracy to defraud, making false documents, obtaining land registration by false pretences, forgery, and uttering forged documents.
At the center of the case is a 3.775-hectare parcel of land legally owned by logistics firm Kyoga Hauliers Limited. Prosecutors allege the couple conspired to unlawfully seize ownership of the property through an elaborate scheme involving fake land documents, including a forged grant and deed plan, designed to mislead land registry officials.
According to the prosecution, the pair forged the signatures of senior officials from the Lands and Survey departments to give the fraudulent registration a semblance of legitimacy before detectives eventually caught up with them. The charge sheet further states that Njeru faces two additional counts of uttering forged documents, after allegedly presenting the disputed land papers to detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters in June this year while fully aware they were fake.
Represented by lawyers Philemon Koech and Mwenda Njagi, the couple pleaded with the court for lenient bond terms, telling the magistrate that a minor child had been left unattended at home after they honoured a police summons to record statements, only to be detained and subsequently charged.
Before taking plea, the defence sought to halt proceedings, arguing that efforts were underway to resolve the dispute through out-of-court negotiations. However, counsel for the complainant, Ken Echesa, opposed the application, saying the complainant was unaware of any such negotiations and urged the court to proceed with the plea.
After pleading not guilty to all 12 counts, the defence renewed its push for bond. Resident Magistrate Faith Boit did not rule immediately, instead directing probation officers to prepare pre-bail reports to assess the couple’s suitability for release. The case is set to be mentioned again on July 9, when the court will review the pre-bail reports and issue further directions.
The veteran journalist built his career as an investigative and mainstream print reporter, notably at Nation Media Group’s Daily Nation, where he focused on land transactions, public administration, and human-interest stories. He later became known for taking his fight against land governance issues beyond the newsroom, including a 2017 petition to Parliament seeking the removal of then National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri over corruption allegations tied to a Ksh86 million compensation dispute.
