Tycoon Doshi Accuses NIS Boss Noordin Haji, State House of Witch Hunt as Court Saves Joho from Jail

Mombasa billionaire launches explosive allegations against intelligence chief while losing major legal battle against Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho

MOMBASA, Kenya – Embattled Mombasa billionaire Ashok Doshi has launched explosive allegations against National Intelligence Service Director Noordin Haji, accusing him of orchestrating a state-sponsored campaign to destroy his business empire in collaboration with State House operatives.

The sensational claims emerged as the Court of Appeal delivered a crushing blow to Doshi’s decade-long legal crusade against Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, overturning a contempt ruling that would have sent the former Mombasa governor to prison.

Court delivers blow to Doshi

In a significant legal victory for Joho, a three-judge Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Agnes Murgor, Jessie Lesiit and George Odunga on Friday overturned a 2020 ruling that had sentenced the Cabinet Secretary and Mombasa MCA George Ogutu to six months imprisonment for contempt of court.

The appellate judges ruled that Doshi and his wife Pratibha failed to prove that Joho was properly served with court papers in their land dispute case.

Adding insult to injury, the court ordered the Doshis to pay all legal costs estimated at Sh15 million.

The contempt case stemmed from allegations that Joho, while serving as Mombasa governor, had violated a court order by demolishing a perimeter wall on the Doshis’ Changamwe property in 2019, despite the couple’s claims of rightful ownership.

“Haji is Ruto’s Attack Dog”

Director General National Intelligence Service Noordin Haji.

According to sources close to the tycoon, Doshi has accused Haji of weaponizing state institutions against him since their earlier legal confrontations when Haji served as Director of Public Prosecutions.

“First Haji tried to jail me over the Processional Way land case using fabricated charges. When courts stopped him, Ruto rewarded him with the NIS job to finish me through dirty tricks,” Doshi allegedly claimed.

The businessman has pointed to what he describes as a pattern of persecution that began during Haji’s tenure as DPP and has intensified since his appointment to head the country’s premier intelligence agency.

The billion-shilling land dispute

At the center of Doshi’s legal troubles lies a prime piece of real estate along Nairobi’s Processional Way, valued at over Sh1.2 billion.

The tycoon and his company Magnum Properties Ltd face four criminal counts including land fraud, forgery and illegal acquisition related to the disputed property.

Court documents reveal that the land was allegedly fraudulently acquired from Greenview Lodge Ltd through a forged stamp duty receipt worth Sh1.2 million in 1992, before being transferred to Doshi’s company Rainy Days Ltd.

Doshi maintains his innocence, claiming the land was legally purchased from former Garissa Governor Ali Korane. He has accused the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission of shielding Korane while pursuing him maliciously.

State House connection alleged

The billionaire has suggested deeper political motives behind his legal woes, pointing to President William Ruto’s historical connection to the coveted Processional Way property.

“This is the same land Ruto was forced to surrender during Kibaki’s administration. Now his allies want it back through intimidation,” Doshi reportedly claimed, specifically naming Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi as demanding bribes for “protection.”

Fighting for survival

Despite mounting legal pressure, Doshi appears to be employing a multi-faceted defense strategy.

This includes securing court injunctions to halt criminal proceedings, attempting to rebuild political bridges with government allies despite supporting opposition leader Raila Odinga in the 2022 elections, and launching a public relations offensive to portray himself as a victim of political persecution.

The tycoon’s battle with Joho dates back to their clashes when the latter served as Mombasa governor, with Doshi reportedly spending millions attempting to derail Joho’s Cabinet appointment during his 2024 parliamentary vetting.

Legal battles continue

While Joho has emerged victorious in the contempt case, Doshi’s co-accused in the land fraud case, Harith Sheth, has successfully secured a court order halting his prosecution. Doshi’s own attempts to block the charges were dismissed by Justice Eric Ogola in 2021.

The ongoing saga underscores the complex intersection of land disputes, political power and business interests in Kenya, where prime real estate often becomes the battleground for wider conflicts involving the country’s economic and political elite.

As the various legal proceedings continue, the courts will ultimately determine whether Doshi’s claims of persecution hold water or whether he will face consequences for the alleged fraudulent acquisition of valuable public land.