Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a couple accused of defrauding a land buyer of Sh2.4 million in a fraudulent property deal in Mwihoko, Ruiru Sub-County.

According to the DCI, the investigation began after a complaint was filed on behalf of a woman based in Denmark, who had tasked her sister with purchasing land on her behalf.

The parcel, valued at Sh2.4 million, was believed to be legitimately on sale until discrepancies emerged during the transfer process.

“In the course of finalising the title transfer at Ardhi House, it was discovered that the land was registered under a different individual and did not belong to the purported seller,” the DCI stated in a post on its official X account.

The revelation triggered a deeper probe by the DCI’s Land Fraud Investigation Unit (LFIU), which uncovered what authorities described as a calculated scheme to obtain money by false pretences.

Following the investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved charges against the suspects.

The two, identified as 53-year-old Patrick Karimi Kamara and 50-year-old Alice Wanjiru Kanyoro, both secondary school teachers, were subsequently arrested.

“Upon review, the ODPP directed that the suspects face charges of obtaining money by false pretences,” the DCI added.

The suspects are currently in custody undergoing processing and are expected to be arraigned in court.

Authorities have used the case to caution members of the public against falling victim to land fraud, urging buyers to conduct thorough due diligence before engaging in property transactions.

The incident underscores the persistent challenges in Kenya’s real estate sector, where fraudulent dealings continue to expose unsuspecting buyers to significant financial losses.