By Were Kelly
A sophisticated syndicate accused of orchestrating some of the country’s most brazen property scams has been broken up following the arrest of ten suspects.
The early morning raid on Friday, conducted by detectives, marks a critical breakthrough in combating organized land fraud.
Led by Charles Mutua of the Land Fraud Investigations Unit (LFIU), a specialist team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) executed an intelligence-based operation across Nairobi.
The group is suspected of fabricating title deeds, manipulating the official records at the Ministry of Lands, and illicitly transferring ownership of high-value real estate.
The network’s alleged mastermind, Francis Gachanja Mwangi, a prominent land broker, is considered a central figure.
Investigators claim he utilized his connections and influence to access and alter confidential land data, amassing numerous properties over the years through dubious means and earning a reputation as a key player in land cartels.
Crucial to the scheme, according to authorities, were two Ardhi House officials: Paul Kibisu Kadasia and Judy Koech Oyamo. Their alleged role involved enabling the corruption of the land registry and assisting in the generation of fraudulent titles, pointing to collusion within the very government offices tasked with protecting property documents.
The operation also uncovered the syndicate’s forgery production team. Suspects Beatrice Wanjiku, Antony Mwangi, and Victoria Mugura are believed to have been responsible for creating counterfeit documents, including title deeds, allotment letters, and survey maps, which were then presented as genuine.
Further arrests include Gaylene Makena Mwirichia, Evans Nyaga Kathuri, Robinson Wambua Mbatha, and Daniel Kamau. Police allege they performed supporting functions, such as transporting the forged documents, distributing them, and giving them an air of legitimacy within various property deals.
A vast trove of evidence was seized during the raids. This included over 800 land-related documents; from title deeds and green cards to signed sale agreements, along with more than 150 falsified national ID cards. Authorities also confiscated government seals, stamp impressions, ten printing machines, typewriters, laptops, passports, and data storage devices believed to hold critical transaction records.
The suspects will face a range of charges, including conspiracy to defraud, forgery, obtaining land by false pretense, and impersonation. This crackdown is seen as a major move against deeply rooted land cartels whose activities have inflicted significant financial damage on property owners, buyers, and lenders, while also fueling a rise in land disputes nationwide.
While hailing the arrests as significant, officials emphasized that systemic overhauls within land administration are still urgently required to secure registry systems from future manipulation. A senior investigator confirmed that the probe is continuing, with more arrests anticipated and efforts to reclaim illegally acquired land parcels now underway.
