A 44-year-old man is facing fraud charges after allegedly conning a Kenyan woman out of Ksh12 million in a fake land sale scheme.
Abdi Yusuf Mohamed has been arrested by detectives from the Kilimani Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following weeks of pursuit according to a Sunday, April 13, statement.
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He is accused of masquerading as the owner of a prime parcel of land in Garissa Municipality and scamming the unsuspecting victim into paying millions to purchase the property.
According to police reports, the victim sent the payments in multiple installments to Yusuf’s personal bank account between June 29 and November 21, 2023.
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Additionally, the report indicated that transactions between the two were based on documents Yusuf had provided to prove land ownership. However, the papers were later confirmed to be fake.
Also Read: Adverse Possession: How You Can Legally Own Someone Else’s Land in Kenya
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How the Land Transfer Exposed the Scam
The scam was exposed when the woman attempted to formalize the land transfer.
A search at the Garissa lands registry revealed that the land was not, and had never been, registered under Yusuf’s name.
Additionally, the parcel’s green card showed a different legal owner, who has held the title since its original allocation by the government.
“Records from the Garissa lands registry exposed the scam, showing that the parcel of land in question is registered under a different individual.
“The green card confirmed that the rightful owner has held the title since its original government allocation. Further, the documents Yusuf provided to claim ownership of the land were found to be fraudulent,” explained the statement.
Investigators say Yusuf used forged land documents to build trust and close the deal.
When suspicions arose, detectives launched a manhunt that led them to Eastleigh, Nairobi, where Yusuf had been hiding.
“He was arrested and is currently being held at Kilimani Police Station awaiting court arraignment,” added DCI.
Also Read: KRA Launches Electronic Tax System for Landlords and Property Owners
DCI Warning to Kenyans
The DCI has since issued a public warning, urging Kenyans to be extra vigilant when buying land.
The directorate has explained the importance of verifying property details directly through official land registries and not relying solely on documents provided by sellers.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations strongly urges members of the public to exercise caution and remain vigilant when conducting land transactions.
“It is imperative to thoroughly verify land ownership and ensure the authenticity of all relevant documents to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes,” noted DCI.
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