Land fraudsters wreck havoc in Shimoni, Kwale

German investor Edmund Durr addresses the media at Shimoni beach over a 2.5-acre piece of land he claims he legally bought. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Land fraudsters are targeting investors and residents of Shimoni in Msambweni following the Government’s plan to develop a modern fishing port in the area.

Locals and investors who bought land at Shimoni claim that their parcels have been allocated to other individuals or institutions, and now fear evictions.

But other reports indicate some investors may have been duped by fraudsters who sold them public land or parcels that the State had already allocated to people.   

German investor Edward Durr, who is one of the victims of the fraud, has called on the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the matter.

The 63-year-old owner of Diani Oasis Limited said he stands to lose Sh40 million after Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) allegedly fenced off "his land".

“We should be compensated or given our land back,” said Mr Durr.

In 2013, KPA surveyors accompanied by the police fenced off the 2.5-acre land valued at Sh40 million, saying it was the authority's property.

“I bought the land from a Mr Bakari Makame Zonga in 2013. I have the title and I’ve been paying the rates," said Durr who disputed KPA's claim to the property.

In 2016, Durr was arrested by the police after he tried to stop KPA officials from surveying the land.

The police accused him of obstructing a lawful exercise and charged him with the crime of creating a disturbance.

Yesterday, Durr said he wrote to KPA to seek clarification about the ownership of the land but he never received a response.

But according to a letter from KPA, Durr could be among the victims of the land scam where some fraudsters had duped investors to buy the parastatal’s land in Shimoni.

“We are aware of irregular claims by persons alleging ownership of some parcels which include part of land measuring 2.516 hectares situated at Shimoni, Kwale. The reference to Kwale/Shimoni/1441 is, according to our records, in all probabilities, fictitious,” said KPA in a letter by Michael Sangoro, principal legal officer.

The letter was in response to Durr, who wrote, through his lawyer A.O Aminga & Company Advocates to KPA, to inquire whether the people that had invaded his land were KPA workers and whether the authority was claiming ownership of the plot.