In today’s court news, a man accused of orchestrating a Ksh 12 million fraudulent land sale in Garissa Municipality has claimed in court that he is the rightful owner of the contested property and is being wrongly accused.
Abdi Yusuf Mohamed appeared before Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi for plea-taking, where he told the court that he was arrested at his residence in Eastleigh in a manner he likened to a terrorist apprehension. He said he was not afforded an opportunity to clarify his ownership of the land to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers.
Mohamed faces charges of conspiracy to defraud Satho Umalkher Adan of Ksh 12 million under the pretense of selling her a prime plot in Garissa. The prosecution alleges the offence occurred between June 29 and November 22, 2023.
Investigations by the DCI indicate that the land in question is registered under a different individual, raising doubts over Mohamed’s ownership claims. Authorities further allege that the documents Mohamed presented to support his ownership were forged.
Mohamed has denied all charges. The court granted him release on a bond of Ksh 5 million or an alternative cash bail of Ksh 1.5 million.