Gov't officials among 8 suspected land fraudsters arrested in Nairobi

Detectives in Nairobi are holding in custody eight suspected land fraudsters believed to be behind a series of forgeries and other land frauds to dupe unsuspecting landowners.

The eight suspects, among them two Ministry of Land officials and an employee at the Government Press, were nabbed separately during a multi-agency operation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched last week.

They include Livingstone Ambai Munala, Dan Adero Okoth (assistant security officer at the Ministry of Lands), Nicholas Mukuna Ayela, Paul Muigai Kimani, Kennedy Mulatya, Patrice Josaya Tumbo, Emmanuel Matheka Mutuku (casual labourer at the Ministry), and Leonard Clifford Wafula who works at the Government Press as a printer II.

Following the arrest, DCI raided the premises of the suspects, where multiple assorted land documents, title deeds, stamps, and other materials belonging to different individuals were seized.

“Raid in their premises led to the discovery of multiple assorted land documents belonging to different individuals, including dozens of plain and original title deeds, 287 assorted stamps, blank grant titles and allotment letters, 11 unused green cards, 101 passport size photos for different individuals, certificates of titles, numerous transfer documents among other evidential materials,” DCI stated.

The suspects were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts and the detectives were granted additional time to complete investigations and pursue other suspects linked to this fraud scheme.

DCI has since cautioned Nairobians to be wary of land grabbers after rampant cases.

“The arrest of the suspects comes at a time when land fraud menace has rocked the Capital, given the lucrative real estate business, with landowners having undeveloped plots waking up to skyscraper buildings built on their property by fake document bearers, who are either perpetrators or victims of land fraud,” advised the DCI.