A government official from the Ministry of Lands has been arrested in Garissa County after being found with a stash of sensitive items suspected to be part of a major fraud operation.
The arrest took place along the Garissa-Lamu road after detectives received a tip-off and stopped the suspect’s Toyota Prado for inspection.
According to a statement from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), officers conducted a preliminary search of the vehicle and uncovered highly suspicious items.
Among the discoveries were three live 9mm Colt bullets, six personal cheques each valued at Ksh500,000, four mobile phones of different brands, and military Captain badges from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Due to the alarming nature of the findings, detectives extended their investigation to the suspect’s home. With his brother present during the follow-up search, detectives discovered even more concerning items inside the house.
They found five additional live rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammunition, thirty blank land title deed forms, a lease certificate, and various land-related documents—all believed to be linked to possible land fraud schemes.
Further investigations led detectives to the suspect’s other properties in Thika and Ruiru. There, they recovered even more evidence indicating a potentially organized fraud operation.
Among the items recovered were an original title deed for land located in Kajiado County and an application form for consent from the Lands Control Board—key documents often used in land ownership transfers. Authorities suspect these may have been used to illegally transfer land ownership.
The DCI noted that if proven guilty, the suspect will face multiple serious charges. One of the key charges will be illegal possession of government property, which is a criminal offense under Section 132 of the Penal Code.
Items such as the KDF badges fall under this category, as only authorized persons are allowed to possess such items.
In addition, the suspect may face prosecution under the Land Registration Act and Land Act for possession and possible use of fake or unauthorized land documents, including blank title deeds and questionable lease paperwork.
Moreover, unless the suspect can prove legal firearm ownership, the possession of bullets and ammunition will constitute another clear violation of the law. Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full scale of the suspected land fraud operation.
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