The Office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) in Narok county has raised concerns over increasing cases of land fraud during sub division of group ranches.
The county Senior Counsel Zachary Omwega said the cases involve illegal addition of members in the list of group ranches and inflating the acreage of a few individuals from what was agreed when subdividing the land.
Omwega observed that when a group ranch is registered; it should have a list of the beneficiaries and Minutes of the members agreement on the of acreage that each of them will benefit from.
However, Omwega said that this agreement is mostly not honoured as the group officials get more land than the members creating conflicts and enmity in the society.
“We have an increasing number of land cases lying in court where group ranch members are accused of benefiting from huge pieces of land than their members,” he said.
The Senior Counsel was speaking today in his office where he said the effects of land fraud include domestic violence, killings and destruction of property when members realize that the land was not allocated rightfully.
He urged those with cases before the court to volunteer to give credible evidence saying most of the time people file cases in court but are compromised by influential people to tamper with evidence.
“My department is keen in dealing with land issues to ensure everyone gets their rightful share. I urge residents not to accept being compromised when giving testimonies in court so that they can get justice,” said Omwega.
He said that in some cases, people forge documents of dead people to include them in the group ranches list to benefit from the land.
“It is a criminal offense to make false documents to benefit from land. A crime of this kind can attract up to 14 years imprisonment,” said Omwega
Some group ranches like Naroosura, Leshuta and Oldekesi are yet to settle down despite members having individual title deeds as some members have put cases in court alleging land fraud by the officials.
By Ann Salaton
