Investor embroiled in legal battles over Galana Kulalu land arrested

President William Ruto inspects the completed works at the Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project in Kilifi and Tana River counties on May 16, 2025. [PCS] The director of Sahal Agro-Holdings Limited, who is embroiled in a fierce legal battle over a 100,000-acre parcel of land at Galana Kulalu, was arrested on Friday. Abdillahi Hassan was arrested in Sagana, Nyeri County, on his way to Nanyuki, for allegedly conspiring to defraud Agriculture Development Corporation (ADC) over the Galana Kulalu land. According to police reports, Hassan was however released after he deposited Sh500,000 bail. He is to appear in Milimani court today. Hassan, through Osundwa and Co Advocates said the arrest was a scheme to intimidate him to stop fighting for his right regarding the disputed land. Sahal Agro-Holding Limited claims that on May 19, 2021, it leased the parcel on land described as Galana Ranch/block1/1, 5km from the banks of Gala River, for a term of 16 years. However, the occupation, tenancy and operation of the property has been subjected to civil cases after Sahal Agro claimed that ADC leased the same land to Mombasa Cement. Hassan sued ADC, its managing director Mohamed Bulle and Mombasa Cement Limited, alleging that the agency planned to illegal evict him from the land in Kilifi county. According to court papers, in 2015, the government temporarily stopped Sahal's activities on the land to allow for the installation of the main irrigation infrastructure. However, the firm found out later that the parcel had been leased out to Mombasa Cement despite the existence of the lease agreement with ADC. On April 11, 2024, Hassan, received summons from the DCI to answer to charges of making a false document contrary to section 347 of the Penal Code. The DCI also alleged that Hassan was under investigation for forgery contrary to section 351 of the Penal Code and Conspiracy to commit a Felony contrary to section 393 Of the Penal Code. It said that the investigation was in respect to title number Galana Ranch Block 1/1. In October last year, Justice Mugure Thande issued temporary orders blocking the DCI from arresting Hassan while Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued fresh orders on December 12, 2024. "That pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the Notice of Motion Application dated 23/12/2024. a conservatory order be and is hereby issued restraining the Respondents, jointly and severally, from arresting, detaining, charging, causing the plea taking of, prosecuting, or continuing the prosecution of the Petitioner/Applicant regarding any matter touching on Title Number Galana Ranch/ Block 1/1 or the matters that were that subject of Malindi HC Constitutional Petition No. E003 of 2024 and/or Malindi ELC No. E036 of 2023," stated the court. Flowing from the said registered Lease, Hassan insists his company is the exclusive beneficiary of a 16-year lease over the Property commencing May19, 2021. During the Diwali celebrations last year, President William Ruto told the Indian community at State House that the late Hasmukh Kanji Patel had asked him to help him lease the land for food production. The President revealed that even without any lease documentation, Patel had already invested between Sh3 to Sh5 billion in setting up the massive project that includes eleven mega dams. "Your father, Ashu of Mombasa Cement, particularly challenged me. He came to see me and we had a chat. He told me, Mr President, I want to help you in Galana. I feed many people and I want to grow food. When I got to hear what he had done and he had no papers. Nobody had given him a piece of paper or a lease; he just went there and said the President has allowed me to do food production and he went ahead to do it," the President said on October 24, 2024. President Ruto said when he learnt of the development, he asked his office to contact him and help in regularising the lease documents.

Investor embroiled in legal battles over Galana Kulalu land arrested

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