Gospel singer Ringtone released on Sh1 million cash bail in Sh50 million land fraud case

Gospel musician Alex Apoko, popularly known as Ringtone, has been released on a cash bail of Sh1 million in connection with a Sh50 million land fraud case.

Milimani Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego granted Apoko and his co-accused, Alfred Juma Ayora, a cash bail of Sh1 million or a bond of Sh3 million each.

In her ruling, Magistrate Alego said she had considered a pre-bail report submitted by the probation officer. Apoko had been remanded last Thursday as the court awaited the report.

The two are accused of defrauding a businesswoman, Teresiah Adhiambo Odhiambo, of a parcel of land valued at Sh50 million in Karen, Nairobi.

According to the prosecution, on or before February 28, 2023, at an unknown location, the two jointly conspired to defraud Odhiambo of her property — land parcel number NAIROBI/BLOCK 99/142, measuring approximately 0.1908 hectares.

It is alleged that they falsely claimed adverse possession, asserting that they had lived on the land for over two years — a claim the prosecution says they knew to be untrue.

Ayora faces an additional charge of falsely swearing an affidavit before an advocate, SM Katonya, claiming he had resided on the disputed land for two decades.

He also faces a separate count of giving false testimony in a judicial proceeding at the Environment and Land Court, where he was the petitioner and Odhiambo and the Chief Land Registrar were respondents. In his affidavit, Ayora allegedly claimed to have lived on the property for 20 years, knowing the statement to be false.

The prosecution opposed Ringtone’s release on bail, arguing that he posed a flight risk, having failed to appear in court since March. However, the accused pleaded to be granted bail, citing ill health and the need for medical attention.

In April, the court issued a warrant for Ringtone’s arrest after he failed to appear. While Ayora was present in court on March 28 and pleaded not guilty, Ringtone did not show up.

The court ordered him to appear on April 14 to take his plea before pre-trial proceedings could begin, but he again failed to attend.

His lawyer, identified as Karanja, told the court that Ringtone had fallen ill on April 10 and had been treated and discharged at Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The lawyer claimed that Ringtone’s condition worsened on April 13 in Nairobi and that he was subsequently admitted to Trinity Care Centre in Ngong.

Karanja submitted documents to the court to support his claims, but Magistrate Alego questioned their authenticity.

“How do we know that John Mathenge, who has signed this document, is a doctor?” she asked.

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The document from Trinity Care Centre bore the signature of Mathenge, who claimed to be in charge of the clinical department. However, the court ruled that the letter was not an original and, together with the documents from both hospitals, deemed them inadmissible.

“There is nothing before this court that shows why he is not present,” the magistrate stated.

Karanja requested that the file be set aside to allow his client time to appear virtually from his hospital bed “on humanitarian grounds, your honour,” but the request was denied.

“A warrant of arrest is issued for the second accused. The matter will be mentioned on May 7, 2025,” the magistrate ruled.