Detectives in Garissa have arrested a government official carrying suspicious items, including Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) badges, fake title deeds, ammunition, and fraudulent land documents.
According to a statement released by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, July 29, the suspect, identified as Antony Githua Mwangi, a public officer working at the Ministry of Lands in Garissa, was intercepted while driving a black Toyota Prado along the Garissa-Lamu road.
Following a search of the vehicle, detectives recovered three rounds of 9mm Colt ammunition, six personal cheques each valued at KSh 500,000, KDF badges bearing the rank of Captain, and four mobile phones of various makes.
The arrest prompted a coordinated search at Mwangi’s Madogo, Garissa County residence. Accompanied by the suspect’s brother, detectives discovered five live rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammunition, thirty blank title deed documents, a lease certificate, and other official land-related paperwork.
“A further search at the suspect's residence in Thika and Ruiru yielded additional items, including an original title deed of a land in Kajiado, an application for consent of the Lands Control Board in Kajiado, and assorted land documents used by the suspect for fraudulent land transfer,” the statement reads in part. “Antony Githua Mwangi is currently in custody, undergoing processing as he awaits his court appearance.”
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In a different crackdown, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Operation Support Unit (OSU) arrested four suspects believed to be behind a sophisticated gold scam syndicate.
The suspects were apprehended during a coordinated raid at a residence in Nairobi’s upscale Gigiri neighborhood along Whispers Avenue.
The search led to the discovery of a gold smelting machine, rubber stamps from several companies, weighing equipment, plastic seals, and documents bearing stamps from the East African Community.
Preliminary investigations link one of the companies to a recent case in which two Canadian nationals were swindled out of USD 37,500. All four suspects are in custody as detectives continue to process them for arraignment.
