Businessman Charged in Ksh 350M Land Fraud Case
Through his lawyer, he informed the court that he was arrested at the airport on his way from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and he added that he had no intentions to escape
A businessman has been charged in a Nairobi court with conspiracy to defraud an Indian Trader of a parcel of land valued at Ksh 350 million.
Sammy Louis Karanja appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki, facing five counts of obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and uttering forged documents.
The court heard that on an unknown date and location within the country, jointly with others who were not in court conspired to defraud Hasmita Patel, trading as Holloway Properties Limited, of a parcel of land LR No. 20261 IR No. 9075,8 measuring approximately 1.591 hectares valued at Ksh 350 million.
The said parcel is situated along Mombasa Road within Nairobi county.
He was charged with forging the signatures of Sammy Silas Komen Mwaita and Jane Kanja commissioners of Lands on a grant of the said parcel of land purporting it to be a genuine document signed by the said Commissioner which was a false fact.
The court heard that, at DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Road, knowingly and fraudulently Karanja uttered a forged grant LR NO 20261 IR NO 90202 dated November 23, 2001, to Corporal Omar Fadhila purporting it to be a genuine grant issued by the Ministry of Lands at Ardhi House Nairobi, which was a false fact.
The prosecution further told the court that on November 10, 2023, jointly with his accomplices who were not in court obtained Ksh 2 million from Onda Concrete Limited by falsely pretending he was able to lease them the aforementioned parcel of land which was a false fact.
He denied the charges and pleaded with the court to release him on lenient bond terms citing he is not a flight risk.
Through his lawyer, he informed the court that he was arrested at the airport on his way from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and he added that he had no intentions to escape,
“Your honor, my client is willing to comply with the conditions to be imposed by this court, hence I pray for leniency.
State prosecution did not oppose the application by the defence to secure his release on bail but urged the court to grant substantial amounts that correlate with the amount involved.
In his direction, the magistrate released him on a bond of Ksh 50 million with alternative cash bail of Ksh 10 million.
The matter was scheduled for mention on June 21, 2025, for pre-trial and directions.
