Two businessmen have been arraigned in a Mombasa court over allegations of conspiring to defraud a hotel chain of land valued at KSh100 million.
Isaac Juma Obila and Omar Guma Ibrahim appeared before Resident Magistrate Hon. Green Odera, facing charges of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code.
According to the charge sheet, the two, alongside others not before court, allegedly plotted to defraud Kilifi Hotels Limited of two prime parcels of land, Grants LR No. 10173 CR 19906 and LR No. 10174 CR 19907.
The court was told that the parcels were fraudulently amalgamated into a new grant (LR No. 28432 CR No. 64591) under Arvic Tours and Travels Limited, before being transferred again to Ibrahim through another title (LR No. 28432/2 CR No. 70282).
Separately, Obila was accused of fraudulently registering Grant LR No. 28432 CR No. 64591 in 2015 while serving as a director of Arvic Tours and Travels Limited.
Ibrahim faced a similar charge for allegedly securing registration of Grant LR No. 28432/2 CR No. 70282 in 2017, with intent to defraud Kilifi Hotels Limited.
The two denied the charges and sought lenient bond terms through their lawyers.
However, Prosecution Counsel Purity Musembi urged the court to impose stricter conditions, citing the seriousness of the offence and the high value of the property involved.
In his ruling, Magistrate Odera directed each accused to deposit a bond of KSh500,000 with one surety of a similar amount, or alternatively pay cash bail of KSh100,000.
The matter is set for pre-trial on September 9, 2025.
