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Christine Musa and Benard Gitau 

In the last two years, Richard Ochilla has been arrested over six times, threatened by both police officers and land cartels and his home vandalised.

He has also been charged in court but acquitted for lack of evidence. But they say when it rains it pours. 

Today marks the third day, for Ochilla to appear in a Mavoko court to be charged with various offences, including counts of robbery with violence.

On Monday, Ochilla was charged with four counts of robbery with violence and two counts of resisting arrest and malicious damage to property.

According to the charge sheets presented in court, the victims have been identified as Herbert Ramoya Oulo, John Keroki Kamau, George Onyango Oganda and Charles Ngala Ongeso, among others.

Yesterday, he was charged with another count of robbery with violence. Ochilla, a mechanical engineer, is also expected to appear before the same court today to face other charges of another case of robbery with violence. 

Ochilla attributes his tribulations to a 11-acre piece of land he acquired in Mulinge Scheme in Syokimau, Mavoko sub-county in 1995.

Coincidentally, the suspect was rushed to court after the police oversight body, the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) launched investigations into reports that some officers based at Mlolongo Police Station were colluding with land cartels to intimidate some land owners in the area.

Lack of evidence

Currently, the IAU is investigating a case of collusion against police officers, Omar Abgudu, Dore Adan, David Wepukhulu, Galgalo Hassan and Chris Muthomi –all based at the Mlolongo Police Station.

Within this period of two years, he has also faced other charges in courts. In one of the cases, he was in January this year acquitted for lack of evidence.

It all started on August 26, 2018 when his house was vandalised and he reported that important documents including allotment letter was stolen.

The matter was reported and he was issued with a police abstract. He would later be arrested and charged with creating disturbance.

The charge indicated that on July 11, 2018 at Syokimau he, together with others not before court, he mobilised bodaboda operators and blocked county officials from performing their duties.

Again, the court acquitted him for lack of evidence.

“The upshot I find no merit in the case against the accused as it has not been proved as required by law,” Mavoko Senior Resident Magistrate Elvis Michieka ruled on January 14.

According to records seen by People Daily, Ochilla has made several reports to police stations, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority , the IAU, the DCI and the National Land Commission.

He has made a total of 11 complaints at both Syokimau and Mavoko police stations within that period and, through his lawyer in a complaint letter written to the Inspector General of Police and the IAU, none of his complaints has successfully been investigated.

On April 18, 2018, he reported at the Mlolongo police station over threats to his life, (OB 21/19/4/2018) and later on  July 11, he reported to the same station a case of trespass (OB35/11/7/2018) but no action was taken.

On August 16, 2018 his home was demolished despite an existing order.

He again made a report at Mlolongo (OB26/16/8/2018). Other reports at the same station are OB63/19/10/2020, OB 53/30/5/2020, and OB 57/1/11/2020.

Other reports made at Syokimau Police Station are OB 15/28/10/2020, OB 7/22/8/2020, OB 8/31/5/2020, OB 32/30/10/2018, and OB 82/19/10/2020.

Last year, 2019 he allegedly received reports from the area chief that some members of a land cartel were to planning to incriminate him. 

Ochilla, through his lawyer Marren Adunga accuses police officers allegedly working with land grabbing cartels  to intimidate and frustrate him over the said piece of land.