Acting police boss Masengeli makes changes at DCI's Lands Fraud Unit

Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has instituted changes at the Lands Fraud Investigations Unit in a bid to enhance service delivery.

In the changes, Masengeli has approved the deployment of Assistant Inspector General of Police Juma Mashua as the head of the Unit.

Mashua has been serving at the Police Headquarters, Vigilance House as Deputy Director of Logistics.

Prior to that, he served as the Deputy Director Internal Affairs Unit and as Head of Operations at the Unit during DCI Amin Mohamed's tenure as the Director of IAU.

His transfer to Vigilance House was initiated by the former IG Japhet Koome who was on the spot for weakening operations of the internal oversight unit of the police.

Mashua is taking over from Mr Wilhelm Kimutai, who proceeded on leave, pending retirement from the service in October this year.

Kimutai also worked at the IAU as Head of Investigations during Amin's tenure.

Organisational structure

According to the DCI organisational structure, the Land Frauds Unit falls under the Investigations Bureau (IB), which is currently headed by Senior Assistant Inspector General Abdallah Komesha (SAIG).

Notably, also, Komesha briefly worked as the Director of IAU before he was moved to DCI by the former IG Koome.

The specialised unit is dedicated to investigating and combatting fraudulent activities related to land and real estate transactions.

"Land fraud encompasses a wide range of illegal practices that exploit weaknesses in property ownership records, land titles, and real estate transactions," the police website notes.

Corruption during land transactions was cited among the leading causes of fraud in the Ministry of Lands during the vetting of the then CS nominee Alice Wahome.

The Land Fraud Section plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of land ownership and preventing fraudulent schemes that can undermine property rights, economic stability, and public trust in land-related transactions.

Additionally, Masengeli has also effected deployment changes within the Administration Police Service moving Dr Masoud Mwinyi from Director AP Logistics to Principal Deputy DIG, APS.

Davis Lumwatu moved from Principal Deputy DIG to Commandant NPS College, Embakasi A campus and James Kamau moves from Commandant Embakasi A campus to Border Police Unit as officer-in-charge.

Ibrahim Jillo moves from Director training at AP HQs to deputy Commandant Embakasi A campus, Lazarus Opicho from AP headquarters to Security of Government Buildings as Commandant.

Dr Mark Leleruk moves from Director Research at AP headquarters to Director Training and Reforms, Christine Temko from CIPU Athi River to Director Legal at AP headquarters and Mr Wambua Kisyungu from SGB Commandant to Director Logistics in the changes that take effect immediately.