Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko received a favorable ruling on Thursday as the High Court upheld his ownership of a valuable property in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area. Justice Ogutu Mboya dismissed a claim by Rajkosmag Company Limited, which had sought ownership of the multi-million-shilling land through an alleged 2003 sale agreement with Kenya Railways Corporation.
In his ruling, Justice Mboya concluded that Rajkosmag had not met the necessary legal standard to prove its ownership claim and noted that the case was filed outside of the allowable timeframe, making it time-barred. "The Plaintiff’s suit is hereby dismissed," the court document stated.
Rajkosmag had argued that it was the rightful owner and requested the court to transfer the property. However, Sonko argued he had lawfully purchased the property after responding to an advertisement by the Kenya Railways Corporation Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme. He explained he acquired the land for his charitable organization, the Sonko Rescue Team, which provides social services and emergency support.
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The court confirmed the property belongs to the Kenya Railways Corporation Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme, which leased it to Sonko’s organization. Justice Mboya also dismissed Rajkosmag’s documentation as “blatant fraud” and denied the reliefs they sought, ruling that they were “misconceived” and “legally untenable.”
The judge emphasized that the court could not support the enforcement of an illegality, declaring that Rajkosmag was not entitled to any relief in this case.