A former chief of Kayole in Nairobi, Alexander Hoops Shihemi, appeared in court on October 7, 2019, facing charges of forging ownership documents to fraudulently acquire 11.5-acre land in Donholm valued at Sh1 billion. The case centers on allegations that he led a network of self-help groups engaged in landgrabbing activities across Nairobi's Eastlands area.
Investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that Shihemi and associates created fake allocation letters to claim property belonging to Gidjoy Investments Ltd. Three other suspects—Patrobas Awino, Peter Gitau Muiruri, and Peter Njoroge Kanika—were arrested and remanded in prison following the probe, according to court filings.
The scheme was exposed after the National Land Commission (NLC) discredited forged documents used by self-help groups to assert land claims. A 2018 report by the NLC's former chairman highlighted the fraudulent nature of these documents, which lacked verification from the Lands Registry.
Land disputes in areas like Embakasi and Donholm have persisted for two decades, with cartels exploiting legal loopholes to displace genuine owners. A 2008 court ruling in ELC Case No 313 emphasized that self-help groups lack legal capacity to own land, rejecting claims by the Alfajiri Self Help Group over a Sh1 billion parcel in Donholm.
The Environment and Land Court determined that the disputed land, originally owned by Sauti Sacco Society Limited, was subdivided and sold to developers. The ruling clarified that self-help groups cannot legally claim private property they never owned.
