Stephen Juma Ndeda, a prominent High Court advocate, was on Friday arraigned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kahawa on charges of forgery, uttering false documents, and money laundering.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a Ksh 1 million bond or Ksh 200,000 cash bail.
The charges stem from a months-long investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Financial Investigations Unit. The probe was initiated after intelligence reports linked Ndeda to a suspicious land transaction.
According to the DCI, Ndeda’s law firm, Ndeda & Company Advocates, received USD 52,490,000 (approx. Ksh 6.8 billion) through wire transfers, purportedly as payment for a 50-acre parcel of land in Kajiado County.
The funds, however, were not transferred by the designated buyer, Alguns Limited, but by a Bulgarian entity named Algans Eood, raising suspicions of possible international money laundering.
Investigators allege that Ndeda forged a land sale agreement, falsely claiming it was signed by the landowner, Andrew Simiyu. He then presented the document to a local bank to facilitate the transfer of funds. Simiyu denied having any knowledge of the sale or signing the agreement.
The DCI revealed that the bank flagged and reversed the transaction due to non-compliance with internal policies and anti-money laundering regulations.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), after reviewing the evidence, approved charges against Ndeda. If convicted, he could face severe penalties for his alleged involvement in the multi-billion-shilling scheme.
Ndeda’s next court appearance is scheduled as investigations continue into his suspected links to an international money laundering and forgery syndicate.
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