The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Monday said that they recovered public property worth Ksh.410 million which they believe was grabbed from the Kisumu County Government. 

The anti-graft body says that the recovered property comprises a prime parcel of land located in the Kisumu Dunga area valued at Ksh.60 million with a storey building dubbed the Sunshine Villas worth Ksh.350 million constructed on it by the suspected grabbers.

"Sunshine Villas had charged the title together with other titles to the Bank of Baroda for a loan of Ksh.180,000,000," said EACC.

According to their investigations, the land had been set aside for use by the Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company Limited (KIWASCO) which had channelled 20-inch pipes that draw water from a water intake plant in Lake Victoria to the water treatment plant that is adjacent to the Villas. 

The commission adds that in 2018, Sunshine Villas filed a case against the County Government in Kisumu claiming ownership of the property and Ksh.250 million as damages for the demolition of their building. 

In the same year, Sunshine Villas applied and obtained a court order allowing them to continue with the construction. 

"The County Government had attempted to stop the construction since it would prevent the intended expansion of water supply to increased city population," said EACC.

Construction is said to have then commenced up to 2020 which led to the erection of a three-storey apartment building which led to the damage of the pipes, disrupting water distribution.

"Further, the building was not safe with the big pipes underneath because in the event there was a spillage, it would lead to the collapse of the building," EACC further said.

Upon a second hearing of the case, Justice Samson Okong’o ruled that Sunshine Villas were occupying the land illegally and their ownership was declared null and void.

The Kisumu Land Registrar was also directed to cancel the current illegal ownership and issue a Certificate of Lease to the County Government of Kisumu to restore the property to the government.

An order of permanent injunction was issued restraining the Bank of Baroda from selling, transferring, advertising for sale or from howsoever dealing with the suit property in the exercise of any statutory power by the charge.