By Andrew Kariuki

Abdul Hassan Tahalil, a director at Skyline Works Ltd, has appeared before the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court in a matter arising from a disputed parcel of land in Eastleigh valued at Ksh25 million, a property that is already the subject of active proceedings before the Environment and Land Court.

Tahalil was presented before Magistrate Lucas Onyina, where he denied alleged charges of forging a title deed and uttering a false document.

According to the charge sheet, the prosecution alleges that Tahalil, “jointly with others not before court, with intent to defraud… forged a document of title to land namely an Indenture purporting it to be a genuine and valid Indenture.”

He is further accused of having “knowingly and fraudulently uttered a certain forged document namely an Indenture… purporting it to be a genuine Indenture” before the Environment and Land Court.

However, court records indicate that the same parcel of land, LR No. 36/1/18, is at the centre of an ongoing High Court dispute under ELC Case No. 409 of 2022, where Skyline Works Ltd is the plaintiff. The matter is currently before Justice Mohamed Kulow and ownership remains under judicial determination.

In that case, the court issued clear directions preserving the property pending hearing:

“THAT parties are hereby directed to maintain status quo pending hearing.”

The court further confirmed that the matter is proceeding through the judicial process:

“THAT matter to proceed for hearing on 2nd December, 2025.”

Filings before the Environment and Land Court outline Skyline Works Ltd’s as the current rightful owner of the disputed land pending determination of the court, stating:

“THAT the Plaintiff is the legal owner of the suit property as per the records held by the Chief Land Registrar.”

and further:

“THAT the Plaintiff is a bonafide purchaser for value without notice and a legitimate owner as per the records held by the Chief Land Registrar.”

These filings underscore that the question of ownership is not settled but is actively before a competent court.

It also emerged during the High Court proceedings that the applicant, Mary Wairimu Muhoro, has previously failed to comply with court directions.

“There is an existing court order warranting the applicant to appear before the court after multiple failures to attend court proceedings, despite several summons issued.”

During the plea, the defence maintained that the criminal proceedings arise from and are closely intertwined with the ongoing civil dispute, pointing to parallel court processes addressing the same property and documentation.

Tahalil was released on a bond of Ksh1 million with an alternative cash bail of Ksh500,000.

The matter will be mentioned on May 6, 2026, as both the criminal proceedings and the High Court land case continue before the courts. courts.