City Affairs

10 suspects charged with Sh1 billion land fraud in Nairobi

Some of the suspects who were charged in connection with a fraudulent Sh1 billion land deal in Nairobi. (Photo: DCI)

By Lucy Mumbi | Tuesday, June 4, 2024

The investigations uncovered that the suspects conspired to defraud a real estate company by presenting a forged letter of allotment.

Ten suspects have been charged in connection with a fraudulent Sh1 billion land deal in Nairobi, following an investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Land Fraud Investigations Unit.

Among the accused are two officials from the Ministry of Lands headquarters at Ardhi House who also face additional charges of abuse of office.

Keep reading

They include a Registrar of Titles at the Ministry of Lands headquarters Ardhi House, Jacob Cartwright Owino, and a Land Administration officer, Andrew Aseri Kirungu, who were further charged with abuse of office.

According to DCI, the investigations uncovered that the other eight suspects conspired to defraud a real estate company by presenting a forged letter of allotment.

They include Diana Njeri Muiyuro, James Mbote Gicheha, Joseph Njoroge Kimani, Joseph Gichohi Kinyanjui, Gladys Wambui Mwangi, Mohamed Jimale Abdille, Charles Mwangi Waithaka and George Ndungu Mumbi.

An allotment letter is a document issued by a property owner to a buyer, confirming the allocation of a specific property within a development.

It outlines the terms and conditions of the property purchase and serves as proof of intent to transfer ownership.

Illegal registration

DCI said the group falsely claimed the letter was issued by the National Land Commission to facilitate the illegal registration of a prime parcel of land under a different name.

"The charges against the suspects include making a false document and obtaining registration by false pretences," the DCI said on Tuesday.

Nine of the suspects appeared before Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, where they pleaded not guilty, and were each released on a Sh100,000 cash bail.

However, one of the land officers failed to appear in court, citing illness.

The arrests come as part of a broader government crackdown on land fraudsters, which began in March.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki emphasised the government's commitment to tackling land fraud during a visit to Kajiado County on March 22, 2024.

He issued a stern warning that all individuals involved in land fraud, whether private citizens or public officials, would face severe consequences.

"We have many issues around land fraud in Kajiado especially, Kitengela, Rongai area and Isinya and in other parts of the county. We are going to crack down on land fraud and any person who is involved, whether a member of the public in a private space or a public officer in the space of government," he said.

He highlighted the detrimental impact of land fraud on both the local and national economy, stressing that genuine landowners are being frustrated by the issuance of fraudulent title deeds and illegal encroachments.

The CS pledged that the government would relentlessly pursue those holding fraudulent title deeds and would work to evict intruders, restoring land to its rightful owners.

"The land frauds are frustrating people who are genuine land owners by issuing fraudulent title deeds, encroaching the property of other people and others who have encroached public land. We are going to flush out all of them," he said.