Senior Nairobi police officers accused of interference in ex-DCI detective’s private land dispute

Environment and Land Court documents in Citizen Digital’s possession reveal that Michael Mugo, who was the head of Corporate Communication & Public Affairs at the DCI, has sued the OCS of Obama Police Station, Cress Otieno, the Trustees of Obama Self Help Group and two others for not only interfering with the development of the said piece of land, but also demolishing a perimeter wall that had been constructed around the disputed land. 

According to Mugo, he bought the plot, Land Reference Number 570 Dandora Off Kangundo Road, from one Peter Ochieng Owino in January 2018 at a cost of Ksh.700,000, and he has been paying land rates to the Nairobi County government since. 

Mugo told the court that he has been in active occupation of the said property uninterrupted, until last month when he decided to develop the property, only for OCS Cress Otieno and the 3rd defendant Fredrick Ongondo, alias Agunyo, accompanied by goons, to storm in and demolish a perimeter wall he had constructed. 

“I commenced development of the property on December 9, 2024 but the respondents have stopped me from continuing with the developments on allegations that the ownership of the property is disputed and that the second defendant (OCS Otieno) is investigating the matter,” Mugo told the court through his legal representation. 

He further said that the respondents have not disclosed the complainant despite being requested to do so. 

“They are hellbent on frustrating me from developing the property without any lawful reason and colour of right whatsoever,” Mugo said. 

On December 24, 2024, Justice Oguttu Mboya of the Environment and Land Court issued orders granting maintenance of the status quo in what he said is to avert breach of peace, pending further orders and directions of the court.

”The orders of status quo shall relate to and concern the current occupation, possession and use of the property. For coherence, the person in occupation of the suit property shall remain in occupation thereof pending the return date,” Justice Mboya ruled. 

It’s this ruling that encouraged Mugo to continue with reconstruction of the demolished perimeter wall only for Obama Police Station deputy OCS under the instructions of the 2nd defendant to raid the said property, stopped construction works and kicked out Mugo’s mother ordering her to report to the DCI Kayole. 

Mugo now says he is petrified and does not understand why someone is so keen on stopping him from occupation of his property despite there being court orders for him to continue doing so. 

“I am petrified by this continued harassment, disregard of rule of law, and have suffered immeasurable loss due the destruction and theft of my materials from the site. I have not received any orders stopping me from occupancy/use of the property and I do not understand why I keep getting harassed at every turn,” Mugo told Citizen Digital. 

Through his legal team, Mugo has since issued demand letters to the senior police officers, and copied to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja demanding an immediate stop to the interference. 

The matter will be heard on February 2, 2025, at the Environment and Lands Division of Milimani Law Courts.