Once again the International Livestock Research Institute is being targeted by unscrupulous business men catching the attention of Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP), Noordin Haji who has ordered investigations into illegal land buying companies that are currently conning the public of their money promising to allocate them land belonging to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Machakos County.
“My attention has been drawn to the fraudulent activities involving Makonza Society, Kamulu Self Help Group, Makonza South and other entities fronting themselves as the holders of the above-mentioned parcels of land,” he said.
Through a statement, Haji said that the persons behind such entities are said to be operating within Mavoko.
He stated that the property at ILRI is unavailable for allocation by or to anyone and advised members of the public not to make further payments to the entities or engage with them.
“The persons allegedly behind the said entities are operating within Machakos County and in particular Mavoko Constituency. The land in question is further alleged to be the property of the International Livestock Research institute.”
He directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe the matter and bring those found culpable to book.
“The team of investigators will work with a team of prosecutors led by a Senior Assistant Director of Prosecutions in my office.”
Early January there was also an issue of fraudsters conning the public with ILRI land properties that saw Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua chair a meeting between officials of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) led by the CEO Dr. Jimmy Smith, the Machakos Security team and the County government on the ongoing unlawful occupation of the 32,000 acre ILRI property in the Kapiti plains.
The meeting revealed that people settling on the land were being misguided by unscrupulous people in a web of deceit that is saw con men rob Mwananchi of close to Sh 50 million in allotment letters, survey fees etc.
It was resolved that the Court order on the ILRI land will be fully enforced unless another injunction that revokes the initial injunction is presented. That the public should refrain from any form of invasion of the property and purchase or sale off Kapiti land. It was a high level of conman-ship where Machakos people were being fleeced and misguided by certain politicians and con men who are focused on getting rich at the expense of the ordinary Mwananchi yearning for own land.Investigations were to be instituted by the CID and Police and anyone who has any information on it to come forward and assist in the investigation.”I also urge people of Machakos to abide by the injunction in place and avoid encroaching on the Kapiti plains land. They should also refuse to be misguided by politicians who do not have their interests at heart.”
Regarding the new incident of DPP has said,”Let them provide any documents that may be in their possession to assist in unraveling the fraudulent scheme,”
Squatters on the land have been complaining of unwarranted evictions from the property which they claim was theirs before it was apportioned to ILRI for livestock research.