This archive report was first published on 29 June 2020.
On June 29, 2020, a court case involving a conman who conned a Member of Parliament (MP) Ksh10 million took a new turn after the High Court placed the conman's properties under receivership.
Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai, a second-term lawmaker, was conned by a businessman identified as James Mbaluka in 2014. Mbaluka had promised to sell part of 134 acres in Karen to Nyamai, but he failed to provide necessary documents, leading the MP to rescind the agreement and demand a refund.
Justice Maureen Odero declared Mbaluka bankrupt for failure to pay back the MP and ordered that his properties be managed by a receiver-manager until the MP recoups all her money.
According to court documents, Mbaluka had claimed to be an agent of one Joseph Kamuya Maitha, who was registered as the owner of the parcel. Nyamai had entered into an agreement to purchase a portion of the land at Ksh30 million, with a Ksh10 million deposit to be paid upfront.
However, Mbaluka failed to provide the necessary documents, and the MP was left with no choice but to demand a refund. The case has been ongoing since 2016, with the court ruling in favor of the MP on several occasions.
The parcel of land had been a subject of deceit between 2005 and 2014, involving big names such as Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, former PS Engineer Gilbert Mong'are Arasa, and lawyer Macmillan Mutinda Mutiso.
Businessman James Mbaluka appearing in court
Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai at a past conference.
