Police probe land dealer over claims of forged title deed in Mavoko

A prominent land dealer in Mavoko, Machakos County is under investigation over claims he presented forged land documents to overturn a court order in a Sh150 million piece of a land tussle.

Officers at the land fraud unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters have summoned Mr Seuri Legusi Sanoye for grilling over claims he had used fake documents to obtain an order overturning an earlier one that had been issued.

This is in relation to a 30 acre of land in Mavoko that he claims ownership against Mukwano Distributors Limited. An environment court had September 2019 declared Mukwano Distributors the bona fide purchaser of the land in question and ordered Legusi to vacate the land.

“The defendant be and is hereby restrained whether by himself, his agents, servants, successors or assigns however from entering, encroaching, trespassing, working, constructing, fencing, alienating, building or transacting on all that parcel of land known as LR No. 26700/3 comprised in grant No. L.R. 119942,” said justice A. Angote in a ruling.

But in June 2020, Legusi allegedly used forged documents to overturn the judgement before the same judge. The judge was informed of the said issue before she ordered that it be investigated ahead of the ruling slated in November 2020.

On August 14, 2020, acting chief land registrar S.C. Njoroge wrote to the DCI informing them the land was registered in the name of Mukwano Distributors Limited.

“The copy of the title purportedly for IR 89699 LR 26700/3 is not authentic and does not form part of our records. We enclose a certificate copy of LR 1870/IV/71 IR 89699 from the Land Information Management System for your perusal and further action,” said Njroge.

This was in reference to an inquiry that had been made by the DCI following a complaint and the directive.

DCI George Kinoti said they had not gotten the accused person but they are looking for him.

“He sent a lawyer saying he would come but we are still interested in talking to him,” said Kinoti.

The land in question has been contentious because there are tens of people already living there.