Kiambu Woman Charged with Defrauding Businessman of Ksh.11 Million in Fake Land Deal

A woman from Kiambu, Kenya has been arraigned in court on charges of defrauding a businessman of Ksh.11 million (approximately $100,000) in a fraudulent land sale scheme. The accused, Hannah Wanjiru Waithaka, appeared before the Kikuyu Law Courts on Tuesday to face the charges.

According to the prosecution, Waithaka acquired the Ksh.11 million from the complainant, James Muturi Kimani, on March 1, 2024 by falsely representing that she was selling him a piece of land known as Karai Gikambura 1048. Waithaka pleaded not guilty to the charges of acquiring money by false pretenses.

The court granted Waithaka bail set at Ksh.1 million with an alternative cash bail of Ksh.300,000 pending the hearing of the case. The matter was scheduled for mention on May 6, 2024, when a hearing date will be determined.

Why this matters: Land fraud cases have become increasingly common in Kenya, with unsuspecting buyers losing millions of shillings to fraudsters posing as legitimate land sellers. This case highlights the need for greater vigilance and due diligence when purchasing property to avoid falling victim to such scams.

The case against Waithaka is part of a wider investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) into allegations of financial mismanagement at a company called Worthstart Africa. Thousands of victims have recorded statements with the police, claiming to have been conned out of millions of shillings by the company.

Another woman, Jane Kikenyi, was also recently charged in a separate case of defrauding a businessman of Ksh.11 million in Kenya. Kikenyi denied the charges and was released on a bond of Ksh.1 million or Ksh.300,000 cash bail.

As the DCI continues its investigations into these fraud allegations, the public will be closely following the court proceedings to see justice served for the victims. "We urge anyone who has been defrauded in such land deals to come forward and report to the nearest police station," said a DCI spokesperson. "We are committed to bringing the perpetrators to book and ensuring that Kenyans can safely invest in property without fear of being conned."

Key Takeaways

• Woman charged with defrauding Kenyan businessman of $100,000 in land sale scam
• Accused pleaded not guilty, granted bail of $1,000 or $3,000 cash
• Land fraud cases common in Kenya, highlighting need for due diligence
• Wider investigation into financial mismanagement at company, thousands of victims
• Police urge victims to come forward, committed to bringing perpetrators to justice