Agnes Kagure Kariuki, a former insurance executive with ties to Kenya's political elite, is embroiled in a Sh1 billion land fraud case involving properties in Nairobi's Karen area and Upper Hill. The dispute centers on conflicting claims to the estate of British-Kenyan Roger Bryan Robson, who died in 2012 without immediate family in Kenya.
Robson, who settled in Kenya in the 1930s, left his assets—valued at over Sh1 billion—to his nephew and environmental charities in a 1997 will. His lawyer, Guy Spencer Elms, faced challenges from multiple claimants, including politicians, a gospel musician, and business figures. Legal proceedings revealed procedural irregularities, including forged documents and inconsistencies in sale agreements.
Kagure, who occupies Robson's property despite a court order, claims to have purchased the land for Sh100 million in 2011. However, records show the transfer occurred in 2014, with no evidence of stamp duty payments or bank transfers. A fabricated photo of Robson was used in the sale agreement, and the property's title remained encumbered by a bank loan. Kagure also faces scrutiny over her financial disclosures, with no tax filings until 2016.
The case has exposed systemic issues in Kenya's land registry and judiciary. Kagure, a Jubilee Party aspirant for Nairobi's deputy governor, has been linked to former officials, including a former Cabinet Secretary for Lands. Despite evidence of legal irregularities, authorities have failed to prosecute key figures, raising concerns about institutional complicity. Guy Elms, the executor, was arrested for forgery in 2015, though his defense cited adherence to Robson's wishes.
The Robson case mirrors a pattern of land cartels targeting foreign-owned properties, using forged documents, squatting claims, and political influence to seize assets. Similar cases, including one involving an NGO's land dispute, have revealed judicial manipulation, with court documents altered to favor claimants. The Environment and Land Court has issued temporary injunctions against Kagure, but enforcement remains stalled.
Key historical context includes Robson's family history: his father Patrick died in 1974, mother Betty in 1993, and his brother Michael sold his share of the family landholding company in 1995. Other claimants included Martin Waluchio and Friedrich Pietz, who alleged land ownership dating to 1994. The Upper Hill flats were claimed by Peter Gaitho and Thomas Murima in 2010, though their forged documents were later exposed.
Kagure's financial records show no tax filings from 2004 to 2015, with self-assessment returns beginning in 2016. She listed questionable businesses in a 2016 firearms application, including entities with no official records. In 2017, she was considered for a parliamentary nomination, and in 2018, Guy Elms received death threats related to the case. The Environment and Land Court issued temporary orders against Kagure in 2022 regarding a property in Nairobi Block 83/1903.
