Suspect on the run wanted by DCI over land fraud

Suspect Abdirahman Mohammed Abdi is wanted by the DCI. [Twitter, DCI]

Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are looking for a suspect identified as Abdirahman Mohammed Abdi.

Abdi is wanted for allegedly committing land fraud.

Investigators in a statement Friday said the suspect is being sought for forgery of title documents and obtaining registration of land by false pretences.

"He is wanted by detectives following a warrant of arrest issued against him by Senior Principal Magistrate's Court Milimani on September 21, 2020, in criminal case no. 121/190/2020,” DCI said.

The investigators told The Standard on phone that Abdi had in 2004 confronted Imbani Dispensary Project Society who had acquired the land in 1988, claiming ownership of the land allegedly bought from a political party in Kenya.

“He went further to evict the members of the society from the land causing the arrest of five of them for trespassing and forgery,” detectives said.

The five were later acquitted.

Authorities are appealing to members of the public to suffice any information that may lead to the suspect’s arrest, who they claim has been on the run.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old medical student is currently in police custody for faking a kidnapping and demanding a ransom from his parents.

According to a statement by DCI on Friday, July 8, Edwin Kamau went missing last Sunday, before blocking his father's number.

He would then contact his mother claiming he had been kidnapped and demanded a ransom of Sh70,000, to be set free, failure to which, Kamau said his kidnappers had threatened to hang him.

Distraught, Kamau's parents reported the matter to the police who immediately launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.

The suspect, on the other hand, continued calling his mother incessantly saying his kidnappers were on the verge of eliminating him.

"Determined to secure the life of their son, the parents sent Sh10,000 on Wednesday and an additional Sh40,000 on Thursday. Immediately Kamau received the initial Sh10,000, he went to a club in Thika where he made merry in the company of a woman friend he had met," police said.

Unbeknownst to Kamau, the woman laced his drink with an unknown substance and stole his money.

"After regaining control of his faculties, he [Kamau] contacted his parents again and they sent him a further Sh40,000 which he withdrew and secured in his shoes. By this time, detectives had closed in on him," DCI said.

Upon questioning by the authorities, Kamau says he had squandered money meant for his last semester’s school fees and was wondering how he would raise money in order to sit for his exams.

Hence, the 23-year-old opted to fake his own kidnapping.

Detectives have since recovered Sh38,000 from the student, who is currently in custody at the Kayole Police Station, pending arraignment.