DCI arrests Ministry of Lands officials, police officer suspected of aiding land grabbing
The DCI has been holding the eight suspects for the last 10 days and is seeking an additional period of two weeks to continue with their probe into the matter.
Two officials of the Ministry of Lands and a police officer are among members of an alleged land grabbing cartel busted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) during investigations into land grabbing and related fraud.
Dan Okoth and Emmanuel Matheka, and police officer Nicholas Muyela were arrested alongside five individuals suspected to be members of the cartel, who were allegedly found with seals and stamps purported to be from the Judiciary, Ministry of Interior, county governments and Kenya Revenue Authority, among others.
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They were also allegedly found with forged stamps and seals and conveyancing documents, including title deeds purported to be from advocates, surveyors and banks, which are suspected to have been used in facilitating fraudulent transfer of lands.
Other documents recovered by the DCI include green cards, letters of allotment and land fee receipts. Investigators say some of them are genuine and are working with the Ministry of Lands to verify the documents.
"The Judiciary has not been spared either and several stamps purported to be for the High Court of Kenya – Family Division, Environment and Land Court and the magistrates court, were recovered," Sergeant Nicolaus Otieno of DCI's Land Fraud Investigations Unit told Senior Principal Magistrate Robinison Ondieki.
The DCI is seeking orders of the court to continue detaining the suspects for 14 days pending the investigations.
Other crimes under investigation include obtaining registration by false pretence, making documents without authority and fraud and breach of trusts by persons in public service.
The DCI has been holding the eight suspects for the last 10 days and is seeking an additional period of two weeks to continue with their probe into the matter.
Otieno told Ondieki that releasing the suspects on cash bail is endangering their lives because people who were on the verge of losing their lands in fraudulent schemes are agitated and could harm the suspects.
"Our intelligence indicates that the lives of respondents herein may be in danger of the aggrieved and agitated persons, and they need to be protected through their continued detention," Otieno told the court.
Otieno said the massive evidence recovered from the suspects needs time for verification.
The court will rule on DCI’s application on Monday.
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