A long-running and contentious land fraud case in Vihiga County has finally reached a conclusion, with the spiritual leader of the African Israel Nineveh Church, Archbishop John Mweresa, being convicted and sentenced.
Archbishop Mweresa was handed a sentence of a KSh 280,000 fine or a nine-month custodial sentence after being found guilty of fraudulently acquiring family land.
The verdict was delivered at the Hamisi Law Courts by Senior Resident Magistrate Nicodemus Moseti.
The court found the Archbishop guilty on four counts related to the illegal acquisition of a family parcel situated in Jebrok, Vihiga County.
Magistrate Moseti clarified the penalty breakdown, stating that the fine was calculated at KSh 70,000 for each of the four counts.
Should the Archbishop fail to pay the total fine of KSh 280,000, the nine-month prison terms for each count will run concurrently, meaning he would serve a total of nine months in jail.
The crux of the case revolved around the Archbishop’s actions to acquire the parcel of land, which originally belonged to his family patriarch.
The court established that Archbishop Mweresa was responsible for forging documents to facilitate the illegal transfer and possession of the property.
The conviction specifically centered on his guilt in acquiring the land by fraudulently processing documents pertaining to the plot.
This high-profile case has dragged on for an agonizingly long period, taking approximately 15 years to reach its final resolution.
More tragically, the dispute is not just a civil or criminal matter; it is also linked to past land-related clashes within the community that regrettably resulted in fatalities.
The conclusion of the trial brings a measure of closure to a dispute that has caused significant strife, violence, and division over the past decade and a half.
The Archbishop now faces the decision of whether to pay the substantial fine of KSh 280,000 or serve the nine-month jail term.
His conviction sends a clear message on the judiciary’s firm stand against land fraud, especially in cases that have destabilized communities and led to violence.
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