[Source: Daily Nation, by Anthony Kitimo]
Two women have been arrested in Kisauni, Mombasa for allegedly defrauding residents more than Sh2 million in a land-buying syndicate.
The two, who are said to have connections with senior land officers and local administrators, were seized by Mwembelegeza locals shortly after receiving Sh1.7 million from a businesswoman few days after accepting another Sh400, 000 as a deposit from a different party for the same piece of land.
The locals said they became suspicious of the deal after the second buyer started uprooting beacons from the land.
It took the intervention of Bamburi police officers to save the duo from a lynch mob.
Two title deeds, seen by Nation, were issued to two buyers by the Mombasa land offices for the same land. The first was issued in March 2005 to Mr Geoffrey Omondi while the second was issued to Ms Joyce Wanjiku in October 2016.
The documents indicate the two women are well connected to different senior land officers in Mombasa who facilitate their illegal transactions.
Ms Barke Ali, a businesswoman who lost Sh1.7 million from the deal, said they followed all procedures to acquire the land.
“We have visited lands offices in Mombasa and the land registrar assured us the land is not contentious and we can make payment. We gave the two women Sh1 million as first deposit but when we went to the ground after making the last payment, we noticed the land had been sold to a number of people,” said Ms Ali.
She also blamed local elders who assured them the land belongs to the two women.
Kisauni police boss Julius Kiragu confirmed the arrest of the two women and said they are looking for more suspects linked to the fraud scheme.
The police boss said several people have recorded statements regarding the same piece of land.
He said they are also investigating how the two women managed to acquire multiple identity cards.
[Full article: Daily Nation, by Anthony Kitimo]
