Detectives who are investigating an alleged land fraud syndicate involving senior officials at the Lands Ministry have asked court to extend the days for detention given to the suspects.
Through the DPP, they have petitioned a Nairobi Magistrate’s Court to grant a 14-day extension for the detention of eight individuals suspected of involvement in the major land fraud scheme.
In this court news, DCI officer Nicolous Osuri, attached to the Land Fraud Unit, appeared before Milimani Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki requesting for the additional time to detain the suspects.
The group includes Matheka, an employee of the Ministry of Lands; Livingstone Ambayi, a police officer; Leonard Clifford from the Government Press; and several others.
The charges under investigation include conspiracy to defraud, forgery, falsification of documents, fraudulent registration, abuse of office, and general fraud.
Osuri told the court that the initial 10-day detention period was insufficient as the investigation had since broadened, leading to new lines of inquiry and the identification of additional witnesses.
He says the probe had uncovered forged judicial seals and stamps, signaling a more complex forgery operation.
“So far, we have identified 153 potential witnesses, all of whom are believed to be victims of the fake land title syndicate. They are from various counties and we need more time to record their statements,” Osuri said.
He added that the forged documents recovered during the investigation contain specific details that must be cross-verified with the victims to aid in building a strong case.
To accelerate the investigation, Osuri said that some officers have been deployed to various locations to gather more evidence and take statements. The DCI is also awaiting forensic analysis reports from its Digital Forensic Investigations Unit, which is examining one laptop, eight mobile phones, a monitor, and three CPUs seized from the suspects.
Osuri further informed the court that intelligence reports indicate potential threats to the suspects’ lives from individuals affected by the fraud, adding weight to the request for continued detention.
However, Defense attorneys, led by Felix Keaton and Philip Langat, strongly opposed the request, arguing that it lacked legal merit and should be dismissed. They pointed out that the suspects have already been in custody for two weeks—the period initially granted to the investigators—and claimed that seeking further detention violates the suspects’ rights and undermines the principles of justice.
The suspects are alleged to have forged a wide range of documents from the State Department of Lands and Physical Planning under the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development. These include letters of allotment, deed plans, title deeds, lease certificates, land transfer documents, and indentures.
