Two directors of a M/s Waki Clearing & Forwarding Agents Ltd have been charged with obtaining money by false pretences, following investigations into a Sh45 million land transaction in Karen, Nairobi.
The directors, Obadiah Kamau Kihara and Hannah Wanjiku Mbatia, were arrested on November 6, 2026, and formally charged at the Milimani Law Courts on November 9, 2026.
The dispute traces back to March 30, 2026, when a complainant entered into an agreement to purchase a parcel of land measuring approximately 0.2042 hectares, located off Comboni Crescent in Karen.
An upfront payment of Sh25 million was made as a deposit, with the full purchase price set at Sh45 million, pending the start of the transfer process.
Unfortunately, the anticipated transfer did not occur, prompting the complainant to report the incident to the police.
Following this, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Land Fraud Investigation Unit (LFIU) initiated a thorough investigation into the alleged fraud.
Evidence showed that the accused received the payment of Sh25 million.
Further inquiries revealed that discrepancies concerning property boundaries had arisen, leading the vendor to pursue an amalgamation and fresh subdivision of adjacent parcels.
However, the property in question remained under the company’s ownership, leaving the complainant’s acquisition in limbo.
This proposed arrangement significantly altered the terms of the original transaction, leaving the buyer without any definitive assurance of ownership, despite having paid a deposit based on the existing title and its specified measurements.
Once the investigations concluded, the case file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Upon review, the ODPP directed the charges against the suspects for obtaining money under false pretences, contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code.
Both accused pleaded not guilty and were granted bond terms of Sh100,000, or alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.
The next court mention is scheduled for November 24, 2026.
