Omtatah Plans to Sue Governor Over Alleged Land Fraud
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has announced plans to take legal action against the county’s governor, Paul Otuoma, accusing him of masterminding a land fraud scheme involving the illegal acquisition and sale of public land.
On Wednesday, April 30, Omtatah revealed his intentions in a demand letter, where he claimed the county government was attempting to sell land that is already publicly owned.
Specifically, he accused the county of trying to spend Ksh200 million to purchase the land on which Amoni Market, located in Malaba town, stands. According to Omtatah, this land should belong to the public, not to private interests.
The Senator went further to argue that, even if the land were privately owned, its actual value would only be Ksh20 million, not the inflated Ksh200 million that the county allegedly seeks to spend on it.
He described the county’s actions as criminal, stating in the letter: “It is well within your knowledge that Amoni Market is public land owned by the county. Hence, your decision not to defend it but to collude with and aid the grabbing is criminal.
This is a case of conspiracy, abuse of office, and theft of public resources, which warrants criminal investigation and prosecution by law enforcement agencies.”
Omtatah emphasized that the issue was a clear case of theft, not governance, urging the public to remain vigilant and speak out against the theft of public resources and clear cases of fraud.
In response to the serious allegations, Omtatah has also submitted a formal request to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate and prosecute those involved in the alleged fraudulent land transaction.
Omtatah’s letter outlines several demands, including the annulment of the newly issued title deeds for the land and the recovery of the property for public use.
He also called for the county government to be prohibited from making any further transactions related to the land in question.
The property in question was originally acquired in 1990 by the now-defunct Busia County Council for Ksh130,000, according to Omtatah.
Since its acquisition, the land has been listed in official County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs). The Senator highlighted that the land had been designated for the development of a public market.
This is not the first time that Omtatah has challenged the actions of Governor Paul Otuoma. In February of the previous year, Omtatah filed a petition accusing the governor of undermining his oversight role in the county.
He claimed that despite his numerous requests for audits of public funds, his demands were consistently ignored by various County Executive Committee Members.
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