Former Commissioner of Lands Sammy Silas Komen Mwaita has been charged at the Milimani Law Courts over an alleged land fraud scheme involving two prime plots in Nairobi valued at over Ksh 300 million.
Mwaita faces five criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit a felony, abuse of office, making a document without authority, and giving false information to a public officer.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Mwaita is accused of conspiring to fraudulently acquire two parcels of land Plot No. “A” and Plot No. “B” situated along Mai Mahiu Road in Nairobi West, off Lang’ata Road. The land is reportedly owned by Rose Njoki King’au and Micugu Wagatharia.
Prosecutors allege that on or before March 30, 2001, Mwaita and his co-conspirators forged a land grant titled Land Reference No. 209/9968, IR No. 85847, and unlawfully registered it in the name of Shaba Trustees Limited, in a move intended to dispossess the rightful owners.
In one of the charges, Mwaita is accused of abusing his position as Commissioner of Lands by facilitating the illegal registration of the property without the knowledge or approval of the registered owners.
The court also heard that on March 17 and 18, 2020, the accused individuals gave false information to officers at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), falsely claiming that the contested land belonged to Shaba Trustees Limited, thereby triggering investigations into the actual owners.
The case has drawn public attention due to the high value of the property and the stature of the accused.
Mwaita was released on a bond of Ksh 10 million, with an alternative cash bail of Ksh 2 million and two sureties.
