Dorothy Yator, who was testifying in a case in which an internally displaced person- Adrian Muteshi- has accused the politician of depriving him of the land, maintained that she did not play any role in the alleged transaction/FILE
She told the High Court on Monday that she had never met Ruto and accused him of making her look like a fraudster.
Dorothy Yator, who was testifying in a case in which an internally displaced person- Adrian Muteshi- has accused the politician of depriving him of the land, maintained that she did not play any role in the alleged transaction.
“I have never approached Ruto in connection to selling him any piece of land and I have never made any agreement with him. Ruto is responsible for my tribulations since my local church has asked me to step down as a leader,” she told Justice Rose Ougo in Nairobi.
She also denied subdividing the said parcel of land saying her alleged signature and ID number on the transfer document were forged.
“I have never submitted or applied for any consent to transfer or subdivide the land,” she stressed.
Yator, a farmer, however confirmed that David Kiptugen, an official in the Ministry of Lands in Mararal, is her husband.
Kiptugen and two other men are said to have met Ruto in Nairobi and agreed to transfer the land to him with Yator’s consent.
Muteshi had moved to court claiming that Ruto illegally took his piece of land in Kaptabei Scheme, Uasin Gishu after the 2008 post election violence.
He argues that his farm workers were kicked out of the property in 2008 and have been unable to return since then.
Concerns surrounding the issue of land have dogged Kenya since independence and a National Land Commission has been set up to investigate any injustices surrounding the emotive topic.
The topic also seems to be a favourite among the political class, particularly now that the elections are only a week away.
The presidential candidates in both the Jubilee and CORD alliances have accused each other of being responsible for the injustices.
Both camps have promised to address the issues, once they make it into power.
The contentious issue is also among the topics that will come up on the second presidential debate, scheduled for February 25.
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