Economy

DCI sets up land fraud team ahead of new title deeds roll-out

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Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Land-related fraud cases will now be handled by a special team of investigators as the government moves to issue new title deeds to replace the old titles issued under the old laws.

The Director of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti said he has appointed a team of 26 officers with backgrounds in land matters to the Land Fraud Investigations Unit.

The move, Mr Kinoto said, is in preparation for the roll out of the new lands digital migration programme, in conformity with the Lands Registration Act, 2012.

“The 26 detectives with professional background in land survey, land economics, land physical planning and administration among other relevant fields have been deployed to the unit. This is meant to inject new blood and professionalise the unit, to undertake investigations of land cases that are complex,” Mr Kinoti said.

The fresh issuance of land tile deeds comes as the State seeks to boost efficiency in transactions and curb fraud.

The Lands and Physical Planning Ministry said the titles will now be handled under the Land Registration Act, 2012 —which introduces significant changes in the manner private land is managed.

A pilot run of the migration is already underway in Nairobi with some 5,493 parcels already marked for conversion by the Registrar of Lands.

Under the old legal regime, title deeds were issued under the Registered Land Act (RLA), the Registration of Titles Act (RTA), the Land Titles Act (LTA), and the Government Lands Act (GLA) that have now been repealed.

Each of these pieces of legislation created its own register, making land registration complex.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney said the confusion occasioned by the different regimes has become a breeding ground for fraud, delays in service delivery, centralisation of land services and threats to the right to property.

Under the new arrangement, the Land ministry will utilise the Registry Index Maps (RIMs) as a reference, replacing the deed plans, further minimising land fraud.