A land fraud suspect accused of deceiving a buyer out of Ksh900,000 through a fraudulent land transaction has been apprehended in Othaya, Nyeri County after an extensive search by law enforcement.
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters, specifically the Land Fraud Investigations Unit (LFIU), conducted the apprehension after the suspect reportedly evaded authorities.
According to DCI reports, the case began with a complaint from a victim who thought he was purchasing legitimate property in Molo.
The buyer, believing the transaction to be authentic, transferred Ksh900,000 to acquire the land.
Suspicion emerged when the complainant conducted an official land search, showing the property was registered under another individual’s name, not the seller.
This finding led detectives to investigate the transaction, which involved misleading information about the property’s ownership.
After completing their investigation, the suspect was brought before the court, with the case set for hearing at the Principal Magistrate’s Court in Molo on May 26, 2026.
The defendant, however, did not attend the court session, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
Based on credible intelligence, detectives tracked down the fugitive to his hiding place in Giathege, Othaya, Nyeri County, where they took him into custody,” according to the detectives.
The DCI confirmed that the suspect remains in custody while the legal process continues.
The apprehension occurs as the Land Fraud Investigations Unit intensifies its crackdown on networks involved in creating forged documents, unlawful property transfers, and deceptive real estate deals nationwide.
Authorities advise prospective land buyers to be vigilant by conducting official searches and verifying ownership credentials before making payments, noting that property fraud continues to be among the frequent crimes in Kenya.