Gospel singer Ringtone, has time and again been adversely mention in several cases of land fraud.
Earlier this week, a Nairobi court issued a warrant of arrest after he failed to appear in court for a scheduled hearing.
Ringtone is accused of conspiring with Alfred Juma Ayora to defraud Teresiah Adhiambo of a 0.47-acre plot of land located in Karen, a high-end suburb of Nairobi.
The land, valued at approximately Sh 50million, is at the center of a legal dispute involving claims of adverse possession.
His legal team attempted to explain his absence, claiming that the singer was unwell and admitted to a hospital.
They presented medical documents to support their case, but the court dismissed these as inauthentic, raising questions about the validity of the excuse.
The presiding magistrate, was unimpressed by the defense’s submissions, ordered Ringtone’s immediate arrest to ensure his compliance with future court appearances.
The court has scheduled the next mention of the case for May 7, 2025, when Ringtone will be expected to answer to the charges.
Over the past couple of years Ringtone has made headlines over and over again. In 2016, he was accused of attempting to defraud a family in Runda, of their house and land.
Reports alleged he violently engaged with the family over property that was said to have been illegally allocated to him. He would later deny the allegations claiming they were fueled by jealousy from detractors aiming to tarnish his reputation.
His opulence has raised speculation about his wealth, given his self-proclaimed status as Kenya’s richest gospel musician and his lavish lifestyle, which includes owning properties in Karen and Runda.
In 2022, Ringtone refuted claims of land theft, asserting that he earned his wealth legally through music-related activities, such as selling CDs in schools, and denied any involvement in “wash-wash” (money laundering) or land grabbing.