By Dorothy Musyoka
A personal assistant to a sitting Member of Parliament has been arraigned in court for his alleged role in an elaborate land fraud scheme involving a contested 3-acre parcel of land in Kilifi South.
The accused, Victor Katana Mganga, was presented before the Shanzu Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of malicious damage to property and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Mganga, a well-known aide to a legislator from the coastal region, was arrested following months of investigation into a land dispute dating back to June 2024.
According to investigators, the contested land subdivided into three one-acre plots was forcibly taken from its rightful owner after the suspect allegedly destroyed a perimeter wall erected to secure the property.
“Victor Katana, a Personal Assistant to a Member of Parliament in the coastal region, was arrested and charged following completion of investigations involving a disputed 3-acre parcel of land located in Kilifi South which he is believed to have grabbed from the original owner,” the DCI stated.
The brazen act prompted the victim to file a formal complaint, which triggered an inquiry by detectives from Kilifi South Sub-County.
After compiling evidence and concluding their investigations, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) forwarded the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which gave consent to proceed with prosecution.
According to the detectives, during the court proceedings, Victor Katana pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The prosecution opposed immediate release, requesting time for the preparation of a pre-bail report.
The Chief Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded at Shimo la Tewa Prison until June 11, 2025, when the court will issue a ruling on bail.