Five individuals accused of orchestrating a fraudulent land transfer scheme involving a 12-acre plot in Miritini, Mombasa County, valued at over Ksh150 million, have been arraigned in court.
In a statement on Friday, April 11, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects, Edward Marenye Kiguru, Abubakar Madey, Joseph Matheka, Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud, and Mohamed Saleh Hassan appeared before the Chief Magistrate Court in Mombasa.
They are facing charges of obtaining land registration through fraudulent means.
"Following thorough investigations, five individuals have been arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court in Mombasa on charges of obtaining land registration through fraudulent means," the DCI said.
According to the DCI, the land at the center of the case was originally registered to Kingorani Investment Limited in the early 1990s.
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However, detectives say it was unlawfully transferred to Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud and Mohamed Saleh Hassan, who are accused of colluding with land professionals to carry out the scheme.
"The accused, Edward Marenye Kiguru, Abubakar Madey, and Joseph Matheka, are implicated in a fraudulent land registration scheme involving a 12-acre parcel of land in Miritini, Mombasa County, valued at over Sh150 million. This land, originally registered to Kingorani Investment Limited in the early 1990s, was unlawfully transferred to Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud and Mohamed Saleh Hassan," the DCI added.
The DCI said investigations were triggered by a complaint over the eviction of employees from the disputed land.
“The investigation was initiated by a complaint regarding the eviction of employees of the complainant from the contested property by the five suspects. The resultant file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who upon perusal granted consent to bring charges against the suspects,” the DCI further said.
The investigating agency noted that the suspects were arrested after a coordinated manhunt across different locations.
Surveyor Edward Marenye Kiguru was arrested on April 7, 2025, in Mombasa, while Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud and Mohamed Saleh Hassan were apprehended in a Nairobi hotel after a failed escape attempt.
Former land administrator Joseph Matheka was captured at his residence along Kangundo Road, and Abubakar Madey turned himself in after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
“A manhunt ensued, resulting in the arrest of Edward Marenye Kiguru, a registered private surveyor in Mombasa County, on April 7, 2025. His accomplices, Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud and Mohamed Saleh Hassan attempted to flee to Nairobi upon realizing that detectives were closing in on them. However, their escape was short-lived, as they were captured at their hideout in a Nairobi hotel and subsequently returned to Mombasa.
"Joseph Matheka, a land administrator recently based in Eldoret, was arrested at his residence in Kangundo Road. He had previously partnered with the fraudsters while serving in a similar capacity in Kilifi County. The final suspect, Abubakar Madey, a private registered physical planner also based in Mombasa, turned himself into the police after a warrant for his arrest was issued,” the DCI explained.
All five suspects pleaded not guilty, and were each granted a bond of Ksh500,000 or a cash bail of Ksh100,000, with one surety of a similar amount.
The case is set for a pre-trial mention on May 5, 2025.
