A real estate company director has found himself in the middle of a legal storm after allegedly swindling a prospective house owner out of Ksh6.4 million.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 22, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Abdiwahab Adan Maalim, the Director of Vaad Limited, was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court at the Milimani Law Courts to answer to charges of obtaining money under false pretenses.
According to the DCI, Maalim’s troubles began when a formal complaint was filed on December 30, 2024, accusing him of collecting millions from a client under the guise of constructing a residential house.
"Maalim's legal troubles began when a complaint was filed at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters on December 30, 2024. The report detailed how Maalim solicited Ksh6.4 million from a complainant, claiming he would construct a house as part of Oakside Phase 2 project in Syokimau area of Mavoko Municipality.
"Investigators from the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit launched a thorough investigation and uncovered that Maalim had entered into a contractual agreement with the complainant for the construction of a house. Dated September 22, 2022, the agreement stipulated a total project cost of Ksh13 million, which included a Ksh3 million upfront deposit and subsequent periodic payments, all expected to be completed within 24 months," the statement read.
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However, seven months after the agreement was signed and Ksh6.4 million had been paid, not a single stone had been laid at the site.
Detectives confirmed that construction had not even begun more than a year after the agreed completion date.
“However, as it turned out, seven months after the deposit was made, the complainant had disbursed a total of Sh6.4 million, but Maalim and his company were yet to commence any construction work.
“Upon visiting the designated site, detectives confirmed that over a year had passed since the agreed completion date, and neither the foundation nor any construction had begun,” the statement added.
In court, Maalim denied the charges and was released on a bond of Ksh1 million or an alternative cash bail of Ksh100,000.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has received multiple complaints against Maalim and Vaad Limited, all currently under investigation, and urges anyone who may have fallen victim to Maalim’s fraudulent schemes to come forward and file their reports at the DCI Headquarters,” the statement concluded.
The matter is scheduled for mention on May 12, 2025.
