The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered a government property in Kitale valued at Ksh65 million.
According to a statement released on Friday, July 25, the recovered parcel allocated irregularly to Charles Lugano, now deceased, had been earmarked for government housing since 1928.
In a judgment delivered on July 4, 2025, Justice Fredrick Nyagaka of the Environment and Land Court ruled that the land was not available for private allocation, having been alienated and actively used for public purposes.
The court directed that the land be returned to the government.
The case, which had initially been filed by the administrators of the Estate of Charles Lugano, sought to have the land declared private property.
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However, at the time of filing, the beneficiaries had already demolished the government house that previously stood on the land, despite a preservation order issued by the EACC on March 9, 2021.
EACC investigations revealed that the house, which formerly accommodated the Chief Magistrate of the Kitale Law Courts, remained listed on the official Government Building Register and had never been leased or lawfully disposed of, in accordance with the Government Financial Regulations.
The magistrate’s eviction in 2002 and the demolition in 2021 were found to be illegal.
Further, the court ordered the cancellation of the title deed and ruled that the land should be returned to government ownership.
In addition, EACC was awarded Ksh3 million in damages for the unlawful demolition of the government house and Ksh252,000 in lost rental income.
