Gospel Musician Ringtone Charged in Ksh 50 Million Land Fraud Case

Popular gospel musician Alex Nyachonga Apoko, widely known as Ringtone, was on Thursday charged at the Milimani Law Courts alongside co-accused Alfred Juma Ayora in connection with an alleged Ksh 50 million land fraud in Karen.

According to the prosecution, the two men conspired to defraud businesswoman Terresia Adhiambo Odhiambo of a parcel of land—NAIROBI/BLOCK 99/142—by falsely claiming adverse possession, alleging that Apoko had lived on the property for over 20 years. They are also accused of forging documents and swearing a false affidavit to support this claim.

The case sheds light on a broader pattern of land fraud in Kenya, where criminal networks and corrupt practices have made land transactions vulnerable to abuse. Kenya’s land sector has long been plagued by irregularities, including the issuance of fake title deeds and fraudulent claims of ownership, often involving public officials and insiders with access to the land registry.

These systemic weaknesses have allowed criminal elements to exploit the process, sometimes as a means to launder money or illegally acquire high-value property.

In recent months, law enforcement agencies have intensified efforts to clamp down on such schemes, with several high-profile cases involving senior officials and elaborate conspiracies to issue fraudulent allotment letters and fake land documents.

The legal proceedings against Ringtone and his co-accused come at a time when public pressure is mounting for greater transparency and accountability in land administration.

Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego denied Apoko’s bail application and set Monday as the date for a ruling. The case continues to attract public interest given the musician’s celebrity status and the value of the land involved.