A Machakos man has lost KSh2.4 million in a land scam after a suspected fraudster allegedly used forged identification documents and a fake title deed to sell him a parcel of land along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway.
Detectives from Kalama Sub-County arrested David Maitha, who is accused of posing as the legitimate owner of the property using the stolen identity of Joel Musembi Kiilu.
According to investigators, Maitha produced a fake National Identity Card and title deed bearing Kiilu’s name to convince the buyer that he was the rightful owner.
The buyer later conducted an official search at the Machakos Land Registry, which showed that the property was registered in the name of Joel Musembi Kiilu.
“Everything appeared genuine after the official search, giving the buyer confidence to proceed with the transaction,” detectives said.
The buyer subsequently signed a sale agreement before a Machakos lawyer and paid KSh2.4 million. However, Maitha allegedly disappeared immediately after receiving the money, ignoring calls and failing to honour subsequent meetings.
The victim reported the matter to police, prompting Kalama detectives to launch investigations that uncovered the suspect’s real identity.
An intelligence-led operation eventually led to Maitha’s arrest in Mtito Andei.
The suspect remains in police custody as he undergoes processing ahead of arraignment.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has urged the public to exercise caution when purchasing land, stressing that verifying property documents alone is not enough.
“Buyers must go beyond confirming the authenticity of documents at land registries and establish the true identity of the person behind the documents,” the DCI cautioned.
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