A Nairobi court has issued an arrest warrant for popular gospel singer Alex Apoko, widely known as Ringtone, after he failed to appear in court to answer to charges related to a land fraud case.
Ringtone was scheduled to take a plea before senior principal magistrate Dolphina Alego on allegations that he conspired with another man, Alfred Juma Ayora, to fraudulently acquire land valued at Sh50 million. The disputed land, measuring 0.1908 hectares (approximately 0.47 acres), is located in the Karen area of Nairobi and is registered as Nairobi Block 99/142.
According to the charge sheet, the two are accused of defrauding a woman named Teresiah Adhiambo by attempting to take ownership of the parcel under false pretenses. Ringtone allegedly claimed he had occupied the land for over 20 years and therefore sought to gain ownership through adverse possession.
Ayora had already appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea when the charges were first presented on March 28. However, Ringtone was absent at that session. The court then directed that he must be present for a hearing on April 14 to plead to the charges and to begin pre-trial proceedings. Once again, he failed to appear.
His lawyer, identified as Mr. Karanja, informed the court that the singer had fallen ill on April 10 and was treated at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. Karanja claimed Ringtone’s health worsened on April 13, leading to his admission at Trinity Care Centre in Ngong. The lawyer submitted two medical reports in court to justify his client’s absence.
However, the court raised doubts about the validity of the documents. The letter from Trinity Care Centre was signed by a John Mathenge, who claimed to be in charge of the clinical department. The court questioned the legitimacy of the signature and noted that there was no evidence verifying that Mathenge was a certified doctor. Furthermore, neither of the documents submitted were original copies, and the court ruled them inadmissible.
“There is nothing therefore that shows why he is not in court,” the magistrate concluded, rejecting the medical justification.
Karanja pleaded with the magistrate to show leniency and allow his client to appear virtually from his hospital bed, citing humanitarian grounds. The court, however, declined the request, insisting that no credible evidence had been provided to justify Ringtone’s failure to appear in person.
As a result, the magistrate issued a warrant of arrest for Ringtone, designating him as the second accused in the fraud case. The matter has been scheduled for mention on May 7, 2025, when the court will assess any developments, including whether the accused has been apprehended or voluntarily presented himself before the court.
The case has drawn public attention due to Ringtone’s fame and his previous brushes with controversy in Kenya’s entertainment and gospel circles. With a history of provocative public statements and headline-making incidents, his involvement in a legal battle over high-value land has further amplified scrutiny on the singer.
The legal proceedings are expected to continue in his absence until he appears before the court, either voluntarily or through enforcement of the arrest warrant.
