Nakuru businessman alleges harassment by top official over Sh6m land

A Nakuru-based real estate developer and businessman has accused the Lands executive of harassment and threats aimed at repossessing his property on flimsy grounds.

John Wachira alleged that Rachel Maina, accompanied by Biashara Ward Rep Stephen Kuria on Wednesday stormed his plot located at Section 58 demanding to be shown ownership documents.

Mr Wachira said he bought the land from Lydia Wanjiku in 2009 for Sh1.5 million and accused powerful forces of collaborating with the executive to grab his property, currently valued at Sh6 million.

"She screamed at me, demanding to see the title deed. But after I flushed it out from my car, she called the country enforcement officers who came and arrested me," he alleged.

During the confrontation, he alleged that the angry executive ordered the officers she was with to deflate the tyres of his vehicle as he was bundled into another vehicle and driven to the county offices.

He was later arraigned before a municipal court and charged with erecting an unapproved fence around the plot and disrespecting the authority.

The investor, who was released on a Sh5,000 bond, has demanded a probe to establish the motive of the raid and those involved.

"The executive on arrival demanded to know if I knew who she was, but I could not recognise her. This angered her most. But what shocked me was the charges brought against me, given that I had not erected any fence," he said.

A spot check by The Standard established that there is neither a fence nor a perimeter wall on the parcel of land. The businessman has recorded a statement with the police under OB46/7/10 of 2015 at Nakuru Central Police Station.

Wachira wants the Biashara MCA probed, accusing him of working with the executive to terrorise innocent plot owners.

When The Standard contacted Ms Maina, she demanded to know why the businessman chose to go to the media.

"Will the media solve that problem and reward him with justice? Anyway, newspapers are nothing but meat wrappers as the President said," she said during an interview at her Ardhi House office in Nakuru.

The Biashara MCA declined to comment on the matter and referred us to Maina.

It is not the first time she has been the spot. Maina, while still a Lands officer in Nyandarua, was accused of allegedly allocating public land to her underage child.

But last week, the National Lands Commission, through chairman Muhamad Swazuri, revoked the title.