The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has moved to court seeking to recover 1,136 acres of Egerton University land from land grabbers.
The Commission says the parcel of land worth Sh1.6 billion was grabbed by private developers in collusion with corrupt Ministry of Lands officials.
The matter was filed on Tuesday before Justice Omollo of the Nakuru Environment and Land Court who fixed the hearing date for March 21.
In court papers seen by the Star, the EACC through lawyer Brigid Maina says the land was fraudulently acquired by a private company that then transferred it to one Kipruto Kemboi, the second defendant in the case.
"The suit property is among several parcels within the area that were vested in Egerton University for its agricultural activities and research purposes," the court papers read in part.
The court heard that the land initially belonged to Lord Egerton of Tatton who later gifted it to Egerton Agricultural College, the predecessor of Egerton University, in 1960.
EACC told the court that even though the land is currently in the possession of the university, the second defendant, accused of grabbing the land, is still in possession of the title.
"The Plaintiff is reasonably apprehensive that there is a high possibility of the 2nd defendant disposing off, transferring, wasting, charging, damaging or dealing with the suit property in a manner likely to defeat the efforts of the plaintiff to recover the same," EACC argued to the court in the suit certified as urgent.
The Commission said investigations established that the Plaintiff acquired the title deed fraudulently before transferring it to the second defendant.
Besides recovery of the land, EACC is also finalising the legal aspect of recommending to the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute the land officials and other individuals involved in the fraudulent acquisition of the land L.R No. 528 Njoro.