The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti has gone after senior detectives in the ranks of Chief Inspector and an Inspector over faking a title deed in order to sabotage investigations.
According to the Nation, the DCI has preferred charges against Inspector Vincent Chelongo and Constable David Mayaka over conspiring with a ring of advocates and Land Registry officials to tamper with the case of one Stanley Muhindi Wandeto.
In an alleged attempt to defeat justice against Wandeto, a genuine landowner, the officers presented a fake title deed and inserted it in the files of the case which was being investigated by a different officer.
[caption caption="DCI director George Kinoti"]
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A businessman identified as Stephen Gikonyo Kirungi, the potential buyer of a piece of land in Nanyuki had been swindled a Ksh495,000 installment by a person impersonating Wandeto.
This is despite a law firm contracted by the buyer conducted an online land search in Nanyuki to verify the authenticity of the land on sale.
However, once Gikonyo paid out the instalment, the advocates Onwanga Advocates affiliated to William Onwanga "noted" a discrepancy on the registration as the fake title deed bore the name "Wateto" and not "Wandeto".
Once the signing of the transaction agreement stalled, Gikonyo with the aid of a private investigator working with Directorate of Investigations traced and arrested Wandeto in Mwiki, Kasarani.
But the complainant Gikonyo confirmed that Wandeto who produced the original title was not the man he had transacted with previously.
This led to the arrest of Richard Njogu Mithamo, the man who had brokered the client into the deal in Kirinyaga.
It later emerged that Onwanga Advocates had certified to the buyer that six fake documents used in the transaction were original which led to the filing of a "Professional Negligence" complaint by the client.
"We believe there was a clear conspiracy between the advocate and the land registrar to defeat justice," Kinoti noted.
[caption caption="DCI director George Kinoti"]
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Contrary to the ethics of investigations at the DCI, the examining officer was also changed from Inspector Daniel Gutu to Inspector Vincent Chelongo where the latter made findings that contradicted those of his predecessor in the case.
The DCI has further instructed that the case against Wandeto be withdrawn unconditionally and the advocate and Lawrence Warachi a former lands officer be prosecuted.
Sounding warning to other officers against such conduct, Kinoti quipped: "I will also charge the two officers with conspiracy to defeat justice and abuse of office."
