Two Directors Charged in Sh25 Million Karen Land Fraud Case

Two company directors have been charged with obtaining money by false pretences following investigations into an alleged Sh25 million land fraud involving a property in Karen, Nairobi.

The suspects, Obadiah Kamau Kihara and Hannah Wanjiku Mbatia, who are directors of Waki Clearing & Forwarding Agents Ltd, were arrested on November 6, 2026, before being arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on November 9.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the case involves a land transaction in which a complainant agreed to purchase a parcel measuring approximately 0.2042 hectares along Comboni Crescent in Karen.

The agreement was entered into on March 30, 2026, with the property valued at Sh45 million. The buyer reportedly paid Sh25 million as an upfront deposit, pending the commencement of the transfer process.

However, the anticipated transfer was not completed, prompting the buyer to report the matter to the police.

Detectives from the DCI’s Land Fraud Investigation Unit (LFIU) subsequently launched investigations into the transaction, establishing that the accused had received the Sh25 million payment.

Further investigations reportedly revealed discrepancies involving the property’s boundaries, prompting the vendor to pursue an amalgamation and fresh subdivision of neighbouring parcels.

The proposed changes left the property under the company’s ownership and complicated the buyer’s efforts to acquire it despite having paid a substantial deposit based on the original title and property measurements.

Following the investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review.

The ODPP subsequently approved charges against the two directors for obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.

When presented before the Milimani Law Courts, both accused persons denied the charges.

The court released each accused on a bond of Sh100,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.

The matter is scheduled for mention on November 24, 2026, as the court process continues.