Ex-PS Dave Mwangi charged with fraudulent acquisition of Sh350 million land
Just over a year ago, Mwangi was acquitted in the Anglo-Leasing case due to a lack of sufficient evidence.
Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Security, Dave Munya Mwangi, has been charged with the fraudulent acquisition of a valuable parcel of land along Mombasa Road, Nairobi, valued at Sh350 million.
Mwangi, alongside his co-accused, allegedly forged a title deed for the land, which was leased to a Chinese company for Sh12 million.
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The charges follow a detailed investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) land fraud investigators.
According to the DCI, the scheme involved Mwangi and his two accomplices, Sammy Louis Karanja and Moses Ojuka, a former employee at the Ministry of Lands, who conspired to unlawfully transfer the 1.591-hectare land into Mwangi's name and those of his companies. They then proceeded to lease the land to Onda Concrete Limited.
The charges, filed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), include conspiracy to defraud, forgery of a title deed, and uttering false documents.
Forging signatures
Specifically, Mwangi is accused of forging signatures from former land commissioners Sammy Mwaita and Jane Kanja, in order to make the forged title appear legitimate.
The land in question, which is part of a larger development along Mombasa Road, was registered under Hamsita Patel's Holloway Properties Limited.
Investigations showed that Mwangi and his associates attempted to sell the land to unsuspecting buyers by falsely claiming they had the right to lease it.
Upon his arraignment at Milimani Law Courts, Mwangi pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was granted a bond of Sh20 million or an alternative cash bail of Sh5 million.
His two co-accused, Karanja and Ojuka, remain at large, with authorities actively seeking their arrest.
In a statement, Mwangi's defence team denied the charges, asserting that the former PS was innocent. They indicated their intention to challenge the evidence in court.
The case has drawn attention due to the high-profile nature of Mwangi's past government service.
He served as PS during the presidency of Mwai Kibaki and had previously been involved in the controversial Anglo-Leasing scandal, a high-profile corruption case.
However, just over a year ago, Mwangi was acquitted in the Anglo-Leasing case due to a lack of sufficient evidence.
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