EACC headquarters/FILEThe Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has recovered a parcel of public land valued at Sh12 million that had been reserved for police housing at Karatina Police Station in Nyeri County.
The land, known as Karatina Municipality Block II/383 and measuring 0.074 acres, was surrendered to the Government following a consent agreement recorded in court.
The consent, signed on February 16, 2026, was entered into between the EACC and the registered owner of the land, Peter Thinwa Ngari.
In the Environment and Land Court at Nyeri, Justice Evans Makori, on February 17, 2026, noted the surrender of the Certificate of Lease for Karatina Municipality Block II/383 to the Government, ensuring that the property would be transferred free of any encumbrances.
The EACC had filed the case on May 14, 2013, in Nyeri, naming Joseph Mithamo Wachira, Peter Thinwa Ngari, John Muriuki Ruthuthi, and Wilson Gachanja as defendants.
The Commission’s investigation established that the land had originally been designated for police housing in Karatina town.
Further review by the Commission found that, in 1998, a survey of the area excised part of the land, resulting in two development plans for the existing police station site.
The excised parcel was allocated to Joseph Mithamo Wachira and subsequently transferred to Peter Thinwa Ngari on 19 July 2001.
According to EACC, Investigations indicated that Johnson Muriuki Ruthuthi processed the excision and allocation of the public land, then Provincial Physical Planner in the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, and Wilson Gachanja, the then Commissioner of Lands.
At the time, the land had been set aside for police housing and was not available for subdivision or private allocation.
Under the terms of the consent, Ngari relinquished all rights, title, and interest in Karatina Municipality Block II/383.
"The 2nd Defendant (Ngari) unequivocally relinquishes their right, title and interest in Karatina Municipality Block II/383 to the intent that the term for which the same is held shall be extinguished and the land shall revert to the Government of Kenya, National Police Service; Karatina Police Station," the consent shows.
It further notes that the County Land Registrar in Nyeri is directed to cancel the Certificate of Lease issued in his name and to expunge the entries relating to the transfer and issuance of the lease.
The land will now be registered in the name of the Government for use by the National Police Service at Karatina Police Station.
The consent marks the conclusion of a legal process spanning over 13 years and allows the land to be used for its intended purpose.
The EACC has encouraged individuals holding title documents to government land to voluntarily surrender such property under the Commission’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework.
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