A woman suspected of unlawfully acquiring and selling land linked to a deceased estate has been arrested in Ruiru as detectives continue investigations into alleged land fraud.
Agnes Wairimu Gachanja was arrested on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, by detectives from the Land Fraud Investigations Unit (LFIU). She was apprehended while attending a defence hearing in Ruiru in connection with a separate land fraud case that is also being investigated by the unit.
The latest case was reported by two people who are administrators of their late father’s estate. Their father died in 2008, and the administrators were carrying out the succession process when they discovered an issue involving one of the properties.
During an official search at the Thika Land Registry, the two complainants found that a parcel of land measuring about 0.0825 hectares in Juja Farm had been transferred to an unknown person. They said the transfer had been made without their knowledge or consent.
The discovery prompted investigations by the LFIU to establish how the property had changed ownership and who was involved in the transaction. Investigators later established that the parcel had subsequently been sold for Sh800,000.
After completing the investigations, the LFIU submitted a duplicate police case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review. The ODPP agreed with the recommendation made by the investigating officer that Gachanja should face criminal charges over the alleged transactions.
She is expected to face three charges, namely conspiracy to defraud, uttering false documents and intermeddling with the property of a deceased person.
Following her arrest, Gachanja was processed and is scheduled to appear before the Ruiru Law Courts on Thursday, August 20, 2026, where the charges will be presented against her.
The case highlights the challenges that families can face when handling property left behind by deceased relatives, particularly during succession proceedings. Official land searches are often an important part of confirming ownership and identifying any changes made to property records.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has continued to pursue cases involving suspected unlawful acquisition, transfer and disposal of property belonging to deceased estates.
Gachanja will now have an opportunity to respond to the allegations in court, where the evidence gathered during investigations will be considered through the legal process.