Two Arrested in Sh5 Billion Mau Narok Land Fraud Case

Two brothers have been arrested and charged in connection with the fraudulent acquisition of a prime 4,296-acre parcel of land valued at approximately Sh5 billion in Mau Narok, Njoro Sub-County.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the Land Fraud Investigations Unit (LFIU), apprehended Josphat Munke Ole Mpoe and Joseph Kakore Ole Mpoe following extensive investigations into the disputed property.

According to investigators, the land was lawfully purchased by its rightful owner from Class Kenya Farming Limited through the Settlement Fund Trustees for Sh5 million. The transaction was formalised in a sale agreement dated June 13, 1977, prepared by advocate T. K. Patel.

For years, the property has been the subject of a protracted legal battle between the rightful owner and the two suspects, who are brothers. The suspects claimed ownership of the land, alleging it belonged to their late father, Kikenyi Ole Mpoe, and relied on what detectives have since established to be a forged Title Grant.

Investigations further revealed that the brothers, who had previously worked as farm managers on the property, obtained Limited Grant Letters of Administration from the High Court in Nakuru on March 23, 2023. Detectives say the documents were acquired under false pretences in a bid to assert ownership and interest in the land.

Upon completion of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved charges against the two suspects. They face multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery, forcible detainer, giving false information to a public servant, and false swearing.

The accused were arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Nakuru, where they pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court released them on a bond of Sh2 million each with a similar surety, or an alternative cash bail of Sh1 million.

The DCI said the case highlights its continued commitment to tackling land fraud and safeguarding the rights of lawful landowners across the country.