On Monday, police charged Hassan Yusuf Abdalla with the theft and handling of the Sh18million Range Rover.
Abdalla who appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Lucy Nyambura however denied the charge and was released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 and ordered to appear on October 16 for the hearing.
The charge states that he and others stole the unregistered green Range Rover between November 8 and 9, 2008 from Cooper Motors Corporation (CMC) in Nairobi.
The businessman is alleged to have later sold the car to Regional Development Minister Fred Gumo.
Gumo who recorded a statement with police over the vehicle about a week ago said he bought it from the businessman.
The prosecution intends to present nine witnesses although it is not clear if Gumo will also be called to testify.
The Westlands MP said that he was not aware that the vehicle had been stolen and that he was waiting for the businessman to give him the ownership documents.
“I don’t and did not own the car. Someone wanted to sell it to me but he had not produced all the documents,” he said.
Police impounded the Range Rover last Friday when it was checked in for service at the CMC showroom in Nairobi.
“I don’t and did not own the car. Someone wanted to sell it to me but he had not produced all the documents,” he said.
The company said it impounded the car after its diagnostic details matched with those of a car that went missing from its workshop in 2008.
The car had been specially ordered by retired President Moi, with preferred features.
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