Former FKF and AFC Leopards Top Official Jailed Over Land Fraud

A former FKF vice president, who also served as AFC Leopards secretary general, is in trouble after he was handed a one-year jail sentence over a Ksh2.5 million land fraud.

Former Football Kenya Federation vice president Robert Asembo has been sentenced to one year in prison for defrauding a businesswoman Ksh2.5 million in a dubious land transaction.

Asembo has been sentenced to a fine of Ksh800,000 or one year in prison over the land fraud case after High Court Justice Diana Kavedza upheld the lower court's decision while dismissing the lawyer’s appeal.

“Having reviewed the evidence on record and the appellant's explanation, I am satisfied that the conviction was well-founded. The appellant's claim that he was not given an opportunity to clarify the delay in transferring the land does not, in my view, raise a reasonable doubt,” said Justice Kavedza as quoted by Nation.

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Asembo, who was interviewed for the IEBC chair position in March 2025, was initially convicted on January 23, 2025, by Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Kahuya.

He was found guilty of obtaining Ksh2.5 million from businesswoman Tai Sujun under false pretenses. Asembo claimed he could sell her a 0.7615-hectare plot of land along the Eastern Bypass in Nairobi, a claim that proved untrue. The offense occurred between September 2, 2016, and March 31, 2017, at Top Plaza in Kilimani, Nairobi.

Court Dismisses Asembo’s Appeal

Asembo appealed the magistrate’s verdict, arguing that his right to legal representation was compromised and that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The High Court, however, dismissed these arguments.

Justice Kavedza noted that Asembo admitted receiving funds from Ms. Sujun to facilitate the purchase of a Sh40 million parcel of land in Ruiru.

“He acknowledged that the complainant issued him a cheque for Ksh900,000 and later transferred Ksh1.6 million to his bank account. These payments were not denied. On the face of it, the amounts in question constituted property capable of being stolen within the meaning of the penal code,” the judge further said, adding that the amounts constituted property capable of being stolen.

The judge further highlighted Asembo's attempt to transfer ownership of land registered to a third party, Joseph Kariuki, which raised strong suspicions of fraud.

“What makes the matter more serious is the fact that the appellant purported to transfer ownership of land registered in the name of a third party to the complainant. This significantly heightens the inference of fraudulent intent. I concur with the trial magistrate that the appellant, being a practising advocate, had a duty to conduct proper due diligence,” said Justice Kavedza.

Lawyer Scolded for Failing in His Duties

Justice Kavedza emphasised Asembo's duty as a practicing lawyer to conduct proper due diligence.

"His failure to verify the title deed and ensure the property wasn't involved in another transaction, despite his professional position of trust, strengthens the prosecution’s case and undermines his defense,” said the judge.

Ms. Sujun testified that she initially gave Asembo a Sh900,000 cheque for the land transaction but later discovered the title deed was fake. After the initial cheque bounced, she transferred Sh1.6 million directly to his account for a separate transaction through Woodland Ventures, a company where Asembo also served as her legal representative.

A police officer corroborated Ms. Sujun’s account, confirming that Asembo had sent WhatsApp messages claiming the transfer was in progress but failed to provide the title deed or tax documents. The matter was reported to Kilimani Police Station after Ms. Sujun concluded she had been defrauded.

Asembo is Not New to Controversy

In his defence, Asembo admitted receiving the money and handling the land transaction for Ms. Sujun. He blamed delays on issues at the land registry, claiming he had refunded Sh500,000 and engaged in alternative dispute resolution with her. He denied committing any crime and asserted he never owned the land.

The High Court, however, dismissed his defence, upholding the conviction and sentence for obtaining money through false pretenses.

Asembo served as secretary general of AFC Leopards from 2009 to 2011 when he was hounded out of office with one key incident being when he was forced to flee from irate fans at Nairobi City Stadium after he had been engaged in a tug of war with then club chairman Julius Ochiel over the leadership of Ingwe.

In 2014, Asembo was made FKF vice president by then president Sam Nyamweya after Sammy Shollei had been suspended from the game just a year after his election and controversy still followed the now convicted lawyer as in March 2015, he took to his heels when football fans bayed for his blood, following a case that involved FKF and Kenya Premier League.