Shadrack Nyakoe
Detectives have arrested ten individuals believed to be part of a sophisticated and well-coordinated land fraud syndicate behind some of the country’s most notorious property scams.
The early morning intelligence-driven sting operation, carried out on Friday by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) under the Land Fraud Investigations Unit (LFIU), was led by unit chief Charles Mutua.
According to the DCI, the syndicate is suspected of executing fraudulent land transactions by forging title documents, manipulating records at the Ministry of Lands, and illegally transferring ownership of valuable properties.
Their activities are said to have caused massive financial losses to property owners, unsuspecting buyers, lenders, and development institutions — contributing to a surge in land disputes across the country.
At the center of the network, investigators say, is Francis Gachanja Mwangi, a well-known land broker alleged to have leveraged insider connections to access and alter sensitive land records. Detectives believe Gachanja has amassed multiple properties through questionable deals, making him one of the most elusive figures in Kenya’s land cartels.
Also arrested were Ministry of Lands officials Paul Kibisu Kadasia and Judy Koech Oyamo, both stationed at Ardhi House. The two are accused of facilitating the tampering of official land registry records and enabling the issuance of fraudulent title deeds — an indication of deep-rooted collusion within government offices tasked with safeguarding property ownership.
Three other suspects — Beatrice Wanjiku, Antony Mwangi, and Victoria Mugura — are believed to have been responsible for producing forged documents, including title deeds, allotment letters, and survey maps. They allegedly operated as the syndicate’s printing arm, generating counterfeit records later passed off as legitimate government-issued documents.
Additional accomplices — Gaylene Makena Mwirichia, Evans Nyaga Kathuri, Robinson Wambua Mbatha, and Daniel Kamau — were reportedly involved in transporting, distributing, and authenticating the fake documents within various property transactions.
During the coordinated raids, detectives recovered over 800 assorted land documents, including title deeds, green cards, survey plans, allotment letters, and signed sale agreements.
Also seized were more than 150 falsified national ID cards, official stamp impressions, government seals, 10 printing machines, typewriters, electronic storage devices, passports, and laptops believed to contain transaction records.
Authorities say the suspects will face charges of fraud, forgery, obtaining land by false pretence, impersonation, and conspiracy to defraud.
Investigators noted that the arrests mark a major breakthrough in efforts to dismantle entrenched land cartels that have devastated families and derailed property investments for years.
However, officials cautioned that while the arrests signal progress, systemic reforms in land administration remain urgently needed to prevent future manipulation of the registry system.
A senior investigator confirmed that the pursuit of accomplices and recovery of illegally acquired land parcels is ongoing, adding that more arrests are expected in the coming days.
