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Life in prison is so pathetic, former Kayole Chief Alexander Hoops Shihemi who is accused of fraudulent acquisition of Ksh 944 million land in Donholm, has said.

Shihemi, who is currently held at Industrial area Prison Remand, uttered the words before Milimani Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi as he pleaded with the court to reduce Ksh1 million cash imposed on him last week.

The chief said that he has been suffering at Prison Remand facility since last Friday when he was detained after denying several fraud charges relating to the 30 years disputed land.

“My life at the prison facility is pathetic. I’m really stressed, tortured and confused and l beg this court to reduce the cash bail on humanitarian grounds,”Shihemi said.

He added that he is sickly and has not been taking his medication as required.

“I suffered from various medical conditions including diabetic, ulcers, eye problems and since l was detained in prison I do get the medication as I’m supposed to twice a day,” he added

The former chief further informed the court that he is both a father and mother to his two children aged between 11 and 15 years.

He says that the two children have not reported back to school due to his detention and lack of school fees.

Shihemi urged the court to reduce his Ksh 1 million to KSh100, 000 in order to seek help from his friends to raise the same.

“I have been jobless since 2011 and l lost my wife four years ago. I for now will not be able to raise the amount unless l seek assistance from my friends,”the former Kayole Chief said.

However, the prosecution opposed the request to have the cash bail reduce saying that they are reasonable considering the offences he face and the collosal amounts involved in the case.

“We have not been supplied with the accused medical documents showing that he has been unwell. The bond terms to remain the same in the circumstances as they are reasonable,” the state counsel said.

In the case the former Kayole Chief is alleged to be the mastermind of land grabbing cartels posing as self-help groups in Eastleigh area, Nairobi.

His three accomplices Patrobas Awino, Peter Gitau Muiruri and Peter Njoroge Kanika has since raised the Ksh 1 million cash bail after they were charged last week on Friday.

According to the DCI, the four suspects commited the offences using fake allocation letters and title deeds to conduct their deceit.

One of the charges stated that with intent to defraud Ms Gidjoy Investments Ltd of 11.8 acres of land in Donholm, the four made false allotment letter purporting it to be genuine and issued by a land administration officer.

They are also accused of forging a lease purportedly signed by Rosemary Anyango Ngong’a, a Land Registrar.

They allegedly committed the offence on November 28, 2001.

The DCI provided documents in court showing how they fraudulently prepared title deeds in attempt to grab land belonging to Gidjoy Investments Ltd.

The activities of the self-styled help groups were first exposed by the former National Land Commission chairman Mohammed Swazuri in a report to Buruburu OCPD in April 2018, when it disowned “NLC resolutions’’ purporting to award prime parcels of land to self-help groups in Nairobi.