Detectives have been granted four more days to continue detaining eight suspects who are being investigated for being part of a syndicate that has been defrauding people of land in the city and they include two officials from the ministry of lands.
Last week the police had asked the court to give them more time to conclude investigations saying the 10 days earlier granted had not been sufficient.
Magistrate Robinson Ondieki on Monday granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) additional time to complete investigations.
However, the court further ruled that if the investigations are not concluded within the four days, each suspect may be released on a cash bail of Ksh 50,000 and will be required to appear in court on May 8 for mention.
The suspects include Livingstone Ambai Munala, Dan Adero Okoth, who serves as an Assistant Security Officer at the Ministry of Lands, Nicholas Mukuna Ayela, Paul Muigai Kimani, Kennedy Mulatya, Patrice Josaya Tumbo, Emmanuel Matheka Mutuku, a casual labourer at the Ministry, and Leonard Clifford Wafula, a Printer II at the Government Press.
The charges under investigation include conspiracy to defraud, forgery, falsification of documents, fraudulent registration, abuse of office, and general fraud.
Last week the court heard 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.
The state said 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,” the court heard.
It was alleged 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, police 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.
Further, the court was told that intelligence reports indicate potential threats to the suspects’ lives from individuals affected by the fraud, adding weight to the request for continued detention.
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.
