From: Our Reporter

A PROMINENT real Estate agent in Kisumu who has been charged before various courts with land fraud has now started transferring his fixed and movable assets to third parties. Mr George Adada Nyagowa who is a former watchman and also now the owner of the notorious Michigen Investments has taken the drastic move after realizing that he risks going to jail and subsequently being forced to pay his victims who he has fleeced of millions of shillings. He no longer drives a posh black Toyota Hilux which is believed to be part of the proceeds of his loot over the years

Most of his victims are those who bought parcels of lands at Konya and Dago areas in the outskirts of Kisumu town. He has pocketed over 15 million shillings in Konya alone where members of the public purchase non existent parcels of plots. Adada who enjoys unsolicited protection from both the police and the judiciary was recently again charged before the area Chief Magistrate’s court with obtaining money from members of the public under the pretext that he would secure them assorted parcels of land.

Nyagowa appeared before the chief Magistrate Mrs Lucy Gitari and denied a total of three counts. The first count states he on diverse dates between September 2009 and December he obtained 770,000/- from Philemon Odeny at Reinsurance Plaza within Kisumu under the pretext that he would secure him a parcel of land.

Count two states that he secured 400,000/- at Re Insurance Plaza from Timothy Otieno under the pretext that that h would give him a parcel of land Dago within Kisumu. The last count states that he obtained 710,000/- at Re Insurance plaza from Joshua Okore under the pretext that he would secure him a parcel of land at Dago.

Mrs Gitari ordered him released on a cash bail of 30,000/-Adada is also facing trial before another court after obtaining 400, 00/- from a woman under the pretext that he could secure her a parcel of land at Konya area. Principal magistrate Harrison Adika is hearing the case .Earlier this year prospective land buyers roughed up the leading real Estate Agent in Kisumu while accusing him of fleecing them of unspecified amounts of cash under the pretext that her would sell them assorted parcels. The irate mob pounced on Nyagowa leaving him half naked.

Adada who is the proprietor of Michigen Investments which is based in Kisumu pleaded with the irate public to leave him alone but his pleas fell on deaf ears as they roughed him up. Chaos erupted at Konya village in the outskirts of Kisumu town where land surveyors, police and lawyers had gone there in order to access the situation on the ground. But the mob stormed the area next to Ukweli pastoral centre sending everyone scampering in different directions.

Earlier hundreds of prospective land buyers in Kisumu who claim to have lost millions of shillings to fraudsters posing as agents threatened to stage a major demonstration against the police and land officials in the area whom they say collude with the conmen.The victims said that they will stage a major demonstration against the office of the criminal investigations department for not arresting the agents. Some of the victims claim to have spent over 7 million shillings in developing parcels of land at Konya in the outskirts of Kisumu which turned out to be a road reserves. Some of the victims blamed officers at the land’s office in Kisumu for colluding with the conmen in order to fleece unsuspecting members of the public of million of shillings.

Another complainant Oliver Agnes alias Nyanaya said she had fallen victim to the fraudsters at Riat area. She said huge tracts of her parcels of land had been sold out by some of the conmen posing as agents in Kisumu town Former Nyanza CID chief Joseph Mugwanja confirmed knowledge of some of the cases. Mr. Mugwanja said he is aware of some cases since they were forwarded from CID headquarters for immediate action. Mr. Mugwanja confirmed that there are some 32 cases of that nature which are being investigated by the Kisumu DCIO.A number of top civil servants and businessmen in Kisumu have also fallen victims of the super conmen.

Investigations have revealed that those who have been fleeced of millions of shillings have been promised parcels of land at Kibos Road, Dago, Konya, Dunga, parts of Kajulu, Riat and Kisian, Dago together with Otonglo areas.

Ends