Two directors of Waki Clearing and Forwarding Agents Limited have been charged with obtaining money by false pretences following investigations into an alleged Sh25 million land fraud in Karen, Nairobi.
The suspects, Obadiah Kamau Kihara and Hannah Wanjiku Mbatia, were arrested on November 6, 2026, and arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday, November 9.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the case relates to a land transaction entered into on March 30, 2026, when a complainant agreed to purchase a parcel of land measuring approximately 0.2042 hectares off Comboni Crescent in Karen.
The agreed purchase price was Sh45 million, with the buyer paying an upfront deposit of Sh25 million as the parties prepared to begin the transfer process.
However, the transfer was not completed, prompting the buyer to report the matter to the police.
Detectives from the DCI’s Land Fraud Investigation Unit launched investigations into the transaction, establishing that the accused had received the Sh25 million payment.
Further investigations revealed that disputes over the property’s boundaries had emerged, prompting the vendor to pursue the amalgamation and fresh subdivision of neighbouring parcels.
The developments affected the original transaction, leaving the buyer without a clear assurance of ownership despite having paid the deposit.
Following the investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which approved charges against the two directors.
The suspects were charged under Section 313 of the Penal Code with obtaining money by false pretences. Both pleaded not guilty.
The court released them on a bond of Sh100,000 each or an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.
The matter will be mentioned on November 24, 2026.
