A woman accused of fraudulently transferring ownership of a prime parcel of land appeared before the Milimani Law Courts this week, marking a major step in a case that sheds light on the persistent problem of land fraud in Kenya.
The suspect, who appeared before court on charges of obtaining land registration by false pretences, forgery, and uttering a false document, was arraigned following investigations by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)’s Land Fraud Investigations Unit.
The case stems from a complaint lodged by a private company, which alleged that in 2021, the suspect unlawfully registered and transferred ownership of its land to another company.
According to the DCI, the land in question has been legally owned by the complainant since October 26, 1995 and has never been sold, transferred, or relinquished.
In a detailed investigation, detectives established that the suspect had forged a receipt claiming to have paid a stand premium of Sh824,733 for the parcel.
This fake document was allegedly used as a basis to transfer the land to another private company.
Additionally, a Notification of Approval (PPA2) supposedly issued by the County Government of Kiambu to facilitate subdivision of the land was also determined to be forged.
“The suspect faked a receipt purporting to have paid a stand premium... Based on the fake receipt, she transferred the parcel of land,” said the DCI in a statement released after the arraignment.
The accused denied all charges when she appeared in court.
The case has been scheduled for mention on 30 July 2025.
Land fraud remains a significant challenge in Kenya, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas like Kiambu.
Courts have in recent years dealt with numerous cases involving forged title deeds, fake land sale agreements, and the illegal subdivision of plots.
A 2021 ruling by the Environment and Land Court in Nairobi cited systemic failures in land records management and called for urgent reforms to prevent fraudulent transactions.
The ongoing case is among several being pursued by the Land Fraud Investigations Unit, which has been instrumental in exposing illegal land deals across the country.
