Back in 2004 when Deputy President William Ruto was MP for Eldoret North, he became the first legislator to be charged with a criminal offence since former President Mwai Kibaki took over power.
A publication by the Nation dated April 14, 2004, stated that a Kshs272 Million land deal is what landed Ruto an overnight stay in police cells.
Together with former Lands Commissioner Samuel Mwaita, Ruto was apprehended and accused of selling Ngong Forest land which was illegally hived off.
Reports at the time indicated that the then KANU MP was involved in a scheme that saw 70 acres illegally hived off from the forest and split to 32 plots which were allocated to 32 private companies.
Police believed that five of the companies belonged to the Deputy President.
The companies are said to have sold the land to the Kenya Pipeline Corporation in a deal worth Ksh272 Million.
Drama ensued following his arrest as then-opposition leader Uhuru Kenyatta demanded Ruto be taken to court terming the incident as a means to intimidate the KANU-led faction.
"We hope this is not an attempt by the Government to intimidate members of the Opposition into silence," Mr Kenyatta told the House, as some Narc MPs shouted "Mwizi (thief").
Former KANU Cabinet Minister Julius Sunkuli served as Ruto's lawyer and his efforts to free his client were uncut by confusion.
"In anticipation that Mr Ruto would appear at the High Court after recording a statement, Mr Sunkuli rushed to the law courts where he waited for two hours for his client to appear.
"He later joined the MPs at Kileleshwa when he learnt Mr Ruto was being held there," the Nation reported.
Ruto and his co-accused would spend the night in the cells and arraigned in court the following morning.
They faced eight charges, among them obtaining money by false pretences and illegally selling Government property.
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