Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a man accused of taking part in an alleged land fraud scheme involving a valuable piece of land in Nairobi’s Kilimani area.
The suspect, identified as Caleb Miheso Ijami, was arrested after investigations uncovered evidence that contradicted claims he had made about owning the property.
He is expected to appear in court once police complete the required processing.
According to the DCI, the case began when Ijami filed a complaint claiming that another person was trying to take over a parcel of land measuring about 0.2718 hectares along Kilungu Road.
He maintained that he had legally acquired the land through a government allocation and had paid all the necessary charges required for the process.However, investigators launched a detailed inquiry that raised serious questions about his claims.
Officials from the Director of Land Administration confirmed that the parcel was freehold land and was never available for government allocation.
This finding directly challenged the documents and explanation that had been presented by the suspect.
Further investigations also focused on the documents submitted in support of the ownership claim. Experts from the Government Printers examined a stand premium receipt produced by Ijami and concluded that it was not genuine.
They established that although the receipt indicated it had been issued in 1996, the document itself had actually been printed in 1998, making the record inconsistent and pointing to forgery.
The investigation went a step further when the Chief Land Registrar confirmed that the land did not belong to Ijami. Official records showed that the property was owned by Miraflores Apartment, further weakening the suspect’s ownership claim.
After completing the investigations, detectives forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for legal review.
The ODPP directed that Ijami be charged with conspiracy to defraud, making a document without authority, and obtaining registration by false pretences.
Detectives from the DCI’s Land Fraud Investigation Unit later tracked the suspect to Aga Khan Walk near KENCOM in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where he was arrested.
He is currently in police custody undergoing processing before being presented in court.
The DCI said the arrest demonstrates its continued efforts to investigate land fraud and protect property owners from criminal schemes involving forged documents and false ownership claims.
Authorities have also encouraged members of the public to verify land records through the relevant government offices before buying or claiming ownership of any property.
