He is a suave businessman and a hitherto political power broker whose undeterred enjoyment of the company of the powerful and mighty and exploits that comes with trappings of power came crumbling to become a lonely ex-convict.
Mention of the name Raju (Rajendra Ratilal) Sanghani is riddled with controversies ranging from property row and land grabbing litigations, tax evasion and gangland style-like clandestine operations notably his involvement in the Armenian brothers; Artur Sargsyan and Artur Margaryan saga whom, the then and current leader of opposition Raila Odinga claimed were “international criminals….”
Raju’s closeness to power was epitomised during the late president Daniel Arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki’s respective tenures where he projected overarching influence with the blessings of powers that be directly or through proxy invisible faces.
He gave the Armenian brothers six Toyota Harrier vehicles that they used during their controversial stay in Kenya who came to Kenya for a supposed real estate investment.
Besides being convicted at Kamiti Maximum Prison for four months in 2002, Raju and his brother and Tony Sanghani were charged with robbery with violence and also denied bail in the High Court.
Raju, who was the chairman of Real Motors Group, got a rude shock in the that chilly morning when he was ferried in a prison lorry from his cell at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison to Nairobi’s Makadara Law Courts to be charged with four counts of robbery with violence, abduction and malicious damage to property.
Lately, Raju is adversely mentioned in an alleged land grabbing scheme of three parcels of land by Kingsway Industrial Park Limited belonging to the late former powerful minister Hezekiah Nelson Oyugi, an investigation report by the National Land Commission (NLC) in our possession shows.
Investigations by The Informer further shows the Kingsway Industrial Park Limited was originally known as Real Industrial Park Limited before mutating to its current name at the Registrar of Companies at the State Law Office, Sheria.
However, Real Industrial Park Limited, now Kingsway Industrial Park Limited lay claim on the three parcels of land.
Records show that Kingsway Holdings Limited, Manishkumar Ramniklal Shah and Growth Management Limited as the directors of Real Industrial Park, Kingsway Industrial Park Limited.
Interestingly, controversial businessman Raju Sanghani allegedly sold Real Industrial Park Limited to Manish Shah, Manoj Shah, Sanjay Shah and Mahendra Shah in 1994.
Oyugi’s family accuse Raju, a former family friend turned foe of conspiring to dispossess them off their prime industrial plots; LR. Nos 209/11289, 209/1128 and L.R Nos. 209/11287located near the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi.
He is accused of forging signatures of Douglas Odhiambo Oyugi and Steve Owino Advocate requesting Commissioner of Lands to issue a title in the name of Munde Investments Limited for L.R Nos. 209/11288which they claims legitimately belong to Chikoo Investments Limited, a firm associated to Oyugi.
According to an investigation report by the National Land Commission (NLC) seen by The Informer, following Raju’s request letter bearing the alleged forged signatures to the Commissioner of Lands, a title was prepared in the name of Munde Investments Limited on May 14, 1993 against earlier allocation to Chikoo Investments Limited on August 3, 1989.
However, speaking exclusively to us on phone today afternoon, Raju remained cagey and guarded with words saying the matter is still in court.
“The matter is in court.” He told The Informerbefore hanging up.
The investigation findings recommended immediate revocation of titles held by Kingsway Industrial Park Limited terming them a forgery.
“In view of the fore goings in the acquisition of LR. Nos 209/11289, 209/1128 and L.R Nos. 209/11287 it evident that the parcels were stolen registered through falsification of documents and therefore all fraudulent. I would recommend that all the titles currently held for LR. Nos 209/11289, 209/1128 and L.R No. 209/11287 cancelled under Section 79(2) of the Land Registration Act No.3 of 2012.” The report says in part.
According to records, L.R. No. Nos 209/11289, 209/11287 and L.R. No 209/11288 are registered under Abhishek Investments Limited, Staren Enterprises Limited and Chickoo Investments Limited respectively.
The probe report into the alleged land grabbing dated March 28, 2019 was prepared by the late NLC Deputy Director Investigations and Forensic Services Antipas Nyanjwa.
Nyanjwa collapsed and died at a city hotel in April 2021. Autopsy report showed the famous crime buster died from heart attack and had just recovered from Covid-19.
However, insiders said the then 52-year-old had been expressing fears for his life over his investigations into land cartels. He reported his concerns to his supervisors.
“On checking with the Registrar of Companies as to the ownership of Real Industrial Park the commission discovered that Kingsway Holdings Limited, Manishkumar Ramniklal Shah and Growth Management Limited as the directors and the company had changed names from Real Industrial Park Limited to Kingsway Industrial Limited after the intervention of National Land Commission.” The report adds.
For the three parcels, the report says Real Industrial Park now Kingsway Industrial Park Limited did not provide evidence of purchase, payment of stamp duty land rates or land rent, payment for purchase or sale agreement preparation between them and bonifide owners of the disputed parcels; Abhishek Investments Limited, Staren Enterprises Limited and Chickoo Investments Limited respectively.
In 2017, impeached former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko accused Raju of land grabbing.
As a former owner of Guilders International Bank, which was embroiled in a bitter court battle with depositors and then Guardian Bank during a takeover, Guardian Bank filed a Sh827 million claim against former owners of Guilders International Bank following a disputed sale of the bank in 2002 years ago.
However, Guardian Bank says it later discovered that several of the loans listed as performing were actually unrecoverable, and that a number of securities Guilders Bank shareholders gave as security for the deal turned out to be defective.
Guilders’ former owners have moved to court to claim they have never been paid their shares of Sh196 million, a move sharply disputed by Guardian Bank.
The sale took place in 1999, and the shareholders of the two banks agreed that any undisclosed liabilities like non-performing loans would lead to amendment of the agreed Sh196 million purchase price.
The Sh196 million purchase price was equivalent to Guilders’ net asset value.
At the time, Guilders’ books indicated that it had issued loans of Sh829 million and of that, Sh678 million was recoverable.
Guardian Bank said that it was only able to recover loans of Sh261 million which struck out any claim by Shiv Ali Investments, Naval Holdings Limited, Ketty Investments Limited and Saaf Holdings—Guilders’ former shareholders—for payment of the Sh196 million.
Their companies Conifers Trading Limited, Chandaria Holding Limited, Dima Limited, Golden Limited and Kevis Investment Limited have also been enjoined as respondents in the suit.
Guardian Bank, however, filed a counterclaim for Sh827 million with interest accruing each year.
It added that Guilders International Bank’s shareholders had until six years from October, 1999 to file any case under the Limitation of Actions Act.
There's no story that cannot be told. We cover the stories that others don't want to be told, we bring you all the news you need. If you have tips, exposes or any story you need to be told bluntly and all queries write to us [email protected] also find us on Telegram
