Part of the maize and beans crops in the four acre piece of land that were destroyed by a malicious man in Lumino village, Likuyani District. Photos | Joseph Amunya.

Residents of Lumino village, Soy sub- location, Likuyani District woke up to a rude shock after a man unleashed his workers on a neighbor’s farm at night spraying the farm with a lethal chemical destroying approximately four acres of maize and beans after a long standing row over ownership of a piece of land.

According to eye witnesses, an irate Mr. Zachariah Nyambane who is a famous businessman in Eldoret led a gang of armed men to Mr. David Onjiri’s farm before spraying and destroying four acres of maize and beans using a lethal chemical on Wednesday morning.

Sources privy to the incident told West FM that there has been a long standing feud between Nyambane and Onjiri over ownership of a seven acre piece of land, which is currently being occupied by the latter.

Speaking on phone from Kisumu where he works, Onjiri said that the land under dispute legally belongs to him, which he bought after the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) put it on public auction in June last year after Nyambane, the original owner, failed to service a loan he had borrowed from the bank in 1989.

It is claimed that Nyambane took a loan facility worthy Sh 240,000 in cash from NBK which has since accrued to Sh 3 million in a period of 22 years after failed to repay.

Confirming the incident, Likuyani District Officer Mr. Juma Walela said that the matter of the land was in court on temporary injunction, but added that Onjiri was the lawful owner of the land after NBK handed him its title deed.

However, according to Nyambane the land was still his property, claiming that he was not aware NBK had auctioned it since he has not been served with any eviction notice or order.

Neighbors close to the farm have disclosed to West FM that Nyambane was until Saturday morning on the farm busy supervising workers who were planting trees and fencing off the area.

However, the district office confirmed that no arrests had been made so far.