The High Court has issued orders stopping the planned auction of public land that was illegally acquired from the Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway at Soilo Area, Nakuru Town. The land, which was charged to Eco Bank by Hashi Energy Ltd for a loan, was scheduled for auction today, August 23, 2024, after the company defaulted on a KES 40 million loan repayment.
Justice Charles Kariuki, ruling on an application filed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) under a Certificate of Urgency, prohibited Eco Bank and Hashi Energy Ltd from selling, charging, alienating, auctioning, or otherwise disposing of the land until the EACC’s application is heard and determined.
The land in question is part of a larger 165-acre parcel belonging to the ATC, valued at over KES 10 billion. This property was allegedly grabbed by over 50 private individuals and is currently under active investigation by the EACC. The commission aims to recover and return the land to the public, while also pursuing the prosecution of those responsible for the illegal acquisition.