Controversial gospel musician Alex Apoko, better known as Ringtone, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday May 13th over a high-stakes land ownership dispute involving a 0.5-acre parcel in Nairobi’s upscale Karen estate, valued at approximately Sh50 million.
Ringtone is wanted by authorities after repeatedly failing to attend court hearings, prompting the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
On Monday, May 12, the singer was expected to face the court but was once again absent. His lawyer informed the court that Ringtone was unwell and had been admitted to a hospital in Ngong, Kajiado County.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego had initially issued a warrant for his arrest last month and directed that he be produced in court on May 7, 2025. When he failed to appear, the hearing was postponed to May 12.
However, on the rescheduled date, his legal team requested more time, citing the musician’s ongoing illness.
The magistrate has now directed the prosecution and investigating officer to present either the accused or a clear way forward on the case when proceedings resume today.
“The accused has an active warrant of arrest. The Office of the DPP should clarify whether this matter proceeds to plea or not tomorrow (13th May 2025),” said Magistrate Alego.
According to court documents, Ringtone is accused of conspiring with Alfred Juma Ayora to defraud a woman identified as Teresiah Adhiambo of a 0.47-acre plot of land, Nairobi Block 99/142, valued at Sh50 million.
The prosecution alleges that Ringtone attempted to claim ownership through adverse possession, insisting he had occupied the property in Karen for over 20 years.
While Alfred Ayora was present in court on March 28 and pleaded not guilty to the charges, Ringtone did not appear. He was ordered to present himself on April 14 to enter a plea before the court proceeded with pre-trial directions.
Once again, he failed to attend, with his lawyer at the time explaining that Ringtone had fallen ill on April 10, received treatment at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital, but his condition worsened on April 13, leading to his admission at Trinity Care Centre in Ngong.
However, this is not the first time Ringtone has found himself entangled in property controversies.
In 2016, he was accused of attempting to fraudulently acquire a family’s house and land in Nairobi’s Runda area — a claim he denied, blaming his detractors for what he called a smear campaign.
The singer, known as much for his headline-grabbing antics as his gospel hits, has long attracted speculation about his wealth.
Despite branding himself Kenya’s richest gospel artist, questions have persisted about the source of his fortunes, particularly given his properties in affluent Nairobi neighborhoods like Karen and Runda.
In 2022, Ringtone publicly denied allegations of land grabbing and money laundering (‘wash wash’), asserting that his wealth came from legitimate music ventures, including selling gospel CDs in schools.
