A Pastor and a Woman have been jailed for one year for forging a marriage certificate in a plot to inherit a Nairobi tycoon’s estate.
Marilyn Mercy Wanjiru and Christopher Mutira of International Pentecostal Holiness Church Africa were convicted of forging the signature of a tycoon who died in 2018 to obtain a marriage certificate with plans to take over a multimillion-shilling estate.
In sentencing, the Magistrate noted that the brother to the deceased nudged the Court to consider that the accused persons were never remorseful throughout the hearing hence they did not deserve leniency.
“The brother to the deceased nudged the Court to consider that the accused persons continued denying committing the offence and that they were not remorseful to be accorded leniency. Having regard to the foregoing, I consider the following sentence in the first count, the offence of forgery I hereby sentence the accused persons to pay a fine each of Ksh 200,000 in default to serve 1 year in prison.” ruled that Court.
Marilyn Mercy Wanjiru assisted by the Pastor is said to have forged the papers alleging that she was married to Kwanwaljit Singh Chadda, who died of a heart attack.
Christopher Mutira of International Pentecostal Holiness Church Africa, based in Nairobi’s Ngara Estate, was implicated in the matter after claiming that he solemnized the marriage between Ms Wanjiru and Mr Chadda.
Ms. Wanjiru listed a house in Ngara where Mr. Chadda lived, a motor vehicle, two plots in Nairobi, a 7.5 acre parcel of land in Shimoni, Kwale County and Treasury bonds held at Absa Bank.
She has also listed shares in Britam, Co-op Bank, Diamond Trust Bank Housing Finance Company of Kenya, KCB Bank, Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Safaricom, Total Kenya, Old Mutual and Absa, which was worth Sh5 million as of December 2018.
The family of Mr Chadda led by his brother Parminder Singh told court that their kin was not married and never had a girlfriend.
Milimani principal magistrate B. M. Ekhubi ruled that the marriage certificate was forged for certain benefits and that the woman and the man of the cloth had a motive and an opportunity by presenting forged documents to the Registrar of Marriages.
The magistrate said Ms Wanjiru was pursuing a succession case, pending before the High Court, involving the estate of Mr Chadda and the certificate would strengthen her case.
