Photo/FILE From left: Former Lands minister Noah Katana Ngala, Ms Isabella Nzalambi, former Nairobi mayor John Ndirangu and Mr Hashim Got Sat in a Nairobi court on July 26, 2010 when Mr Ngala and Mr Sat denied a charge of conspiracy to defraud the City Council of a piece of land on which the mayor’s house is built.
By PAUL OGEMBA pogemba@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, July 25 2011 at 21:40
Posted Monday, July 25 2011 at 21:40
A former Cabinet minister could be acquitted of corruption after he complied with a High Court order to return property he allegedly acquired illegally.
State counsel Patrick Kiage told the court that former Lands minister Noah Katana Ngala had surrendered a City Council of Nairobi mayoral house and paid accrued rent from the time he acquired the property.
This follows a notice by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) that gave amnesty to individuals who repay what they fraudulently acquired.
In the notice last week, the anti-graft agency offered amnesty to people who had committed economic crimes if they repaid the full value of what they stole, with 12 per cent interest, in the next 60 days.
It said those seeking amnesty under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes (Amnesty and Restitution) Regulations must make a “full and true” disclosure of the crime, including all property irregularly or illegally acquired and that they must commit themselves to making reparation to any person affected by their deeds.
In return, the commission would drop investigations or prosecutions against them.
Mr Ngala was charged with conspiracy to defraud the City Council of Nairobi of land on which the mayor’s house stands, stealing and uttering a false document.
He is said to have falsely claimed that the property belonged to him and transferred it to a third party, Ms Isabella Vicky Nzalambi.
He was charged with former Nairobi mayor John Ndirangu, Mr Eustas Mwangi, Mr Hashim Got Sat and Ms Nzalambi.
During Monday’s mention, Mr Kiage said the former minister had paid rent arrears of Sh2 million from the time he acquired the property in February 2003.
“According to the settlement order between KACC and Mr Ngala and entered as a court decree, he was to pay the rent accumulation, hand over the title deed and vacate the house by April 2011,” said Mr Kiage.
The State counsel confirmed that the house had been vacated and handed back while the last rent payment was done last Friday.
“What remains now is for the State to ascertain if the title deed surrendered tallies with the original,” said Mr Kiage.
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions would terminate the case and Mr Ngala and his co-accused given amnesty once it was confirmed that everything had been returned. The case will be mentioned on August 8.
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