Mother, Daughter Arrested in Ksh40 Million Land Fraud
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Detectives from the Land Fraud Investigation Unit (LFIU) have arrested a mother and her daughter over an alleged land fraud scheme involving family property valued at approximately Ksh40 million.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 19, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Mary Muthoni Njogu and her daughter, Veronica Wambui Ng’ang’a, were arrested on Tuesday, August 18, following investigations into the alleged fraudulent transfer of family land in Karatina.
"The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by a family member acting on behalf of his siblings, alleging that the two suspects had deceitfully transferred valuable parcels of family land in Karatina, estimated at approximately Ksh40 million, into their own names and those of associated companies," the statement read.
The DCI said the investigations established that the alleged transfers were carried out secretly over a three-year period, with other family members deliberately excluded from the transactions.
"Through meticulous investigations, it was uncovered that the suspects executed secret transfers from 2020 to 2023, deliberately excluding other family members from the transactions," the statement added.
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According to the DCI, following the completion of the investigations, detectives forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review and directions on the appropriate charges against the suspects.
"Upon conclusion of the investigation, the case file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), which, upon review, directed that the suspects be charged with Conspiracy to Defraud and Fraudulent Procurement of Title," the statement further read.
The two are expected to be arraigned at the Karatina Law Courts on Wednesday where they will face the charges recommended by the ODPP.
This comes weeks after Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her son, Chris Mulwa, were arraigned in court over the fatal shooting of Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso.
During court proceedings on Friday, July 31, the DCI asked the court to detain the two suspects for 30 days, arguing that additional time is needed to conclude investigations.
Prosecutors said Rose is the former wife of the deceased's husband, with the two having divorced in 2001 after four children together, including Chris.
According to court documents, the DCI filed a miscellaneous application seeking orders to detain the mother and son while detectives continue gathering evidence relating to Mutiso's killing.
The application is supported by an affidavit sworn by Corporal Romana Odour, who told the court that the deceased had previously reported two separate incidents in which unknown men riding motorcycles allegedly trailed and threatened her before she was eventually shot dead.
Investigators state that the first incident occurred on July 7 when Mutiso was driving along Ngong Road near Junction Mall.
According to the affidavit, two men riding a motorcycle allegedly pointed a firearm at her and attempted to shoot her.
Mutiso escaped unharmed and later reported the incident at Kilimani Police Station.
The affidavit further states that after making the report, Mutiso informed both investigators and her husband that she had identified the pillion passenger on the motorcycle as Chris.
Police also told the court that on July 27 the deceased reported another incident in which she was allegedly followed by men riding a motorcycle while driving from her home to her office.
Reporting originally appeared via Nairobi Leo. Read the full source for additional context.