The Magon Family's desperate battle to reclaim their properties

By Wanjohi Nderitu/Home News

In a chilling reflection of systemic corruption and bureaucratic inertia, the Magon family—a resilient Asian lineage in Kenya—finds themselves embroiled in a relentless struggle to reclaim their rightful properties in Nairobi.

Despite presenting irrefutable evidence of ownership, they are met with a grim reality; title files mysteriously vanish, fraudulent transfers proliferate, and a network of corruption permeates every corridor of power.

The Magons have encountered bureaucratic hurdles and resistance from parties currently occupying or claiming rights to the properties. The situation highlights a complex intersection of historical land tenure issues, systemic corruption, and bureaucratic inefficiency in the country. With billions of shillings at stake, the Magons’ plight unveils a scandal that not only threatens their ancestral legacy but also exposes the deep fissures within Kenya’s land administration system. The recurring theme of corruption within the Lands Registry at Ardhi House, the police and the courts indicate a deep-rooted issue.

This compromises the integrity of official documents and processes, enabling fraudulent activities such as the creation of fake title deeds and illegal transfers of property.

As the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Alice Wahome, escalates the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the question lingers: will justice prevail, or will the shadows of greed continue to overshadow the rule of law?

The missing title files, despite having supporting documentation from the Magons, reflect inadequacies in recordkeeping and oversight mechanisms within government institutions. The lack of accountability among officials involved perpetuates injustices.

Documents seen by The Home News, are proof of the mess, and the resilience of the Magon family struggle to repossess their properties in the city, and reflect the challenges faced by many families in similar situations, especially those with historical ties to land and buildings.

Ashish Magon, far left, at a meeting with Bishop Maina Njenga and other senior officials of Hope International Ministries. Photo/Home News

Their efforts to reclaim their assets involve navigating complex legal frameworks, engaging with government authorities, and dealing with potentially lengthy court processes.

Ministry acknowledges fraudulent transfers in detailed letter

In a letter from the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, dated 6th February, 2024, Ref No MOLP, the CS, Alice Wahome, told the family advocates, Chege Kariuki and Associates of Nairobi:

Ref: Brief Summary of Magon Family Properties Subject to Fraud in Kenya:

“We refer to the above matter and your letter dated 24th January 2024 where you have complained about five parcels of land belonging to the Magon family. We have noted the content therein and respond as follows: …”

The CS then commented on each of the following properties:

(a) LR 1/199 Volume N35 Folio 81/14 (Nyangumi Road)
(b) LR 37/670 IR 84860 (Masaba Road)
(c) LR 209/8298 IR 34676 (Mbagathi Road)
(d) LR 209/3530/7 IR 96282 (Park Road)

In regard to (a), Wahome remarked, in part:
“The office has established that the folio register and the deed file are missing and there is no record scanned in the Electronic Document Management System. The office further established that the documents held by the company (Trikuti Investments Ltd) are genuine documents that form part of the registry record.
“The office has established that the conveyance purpotedly for LR 1/199 used by one Alason Hassan Mohamud is not authentic and therefore the process of procuring titles for LR 1/1330 and LR 1/1331 was fraudulent”.

In regard to (b), the Cabinet Secretary said, in part:
“The office has established that the attached Grant (in the name of Mageeta Investments Ltd) is genuine and forms part of the record at the registry. However, the deed file is missing and has not been scanned in the system.
“The office has established that the issuance of the second title amounts to double allocation… the Chief Land Registrar has summoned Sanjes Company Ltd to show cause why the lease and certificate of the title should not be cancelled”.

One of the Magon posh houses under controversy. Photo/Home News

In regard to (c), Wahome commented that the Grant to Crystal Investments Ltd was genuine, but the deed file was missing. The office established that the Grant registered on 25th July 2002 as IR 85256/1 in the name of one Yusuf Hassan Elme is not authentic.

On (d), the CS said:
“In this matter, you presented a copy of Grant registered on 12th November 2004 as IR 96282/1 in the name of Samran Investments Ltd… You also attached a copy of the original title document which the proprietor still holds.
“Upon checking the record at the registry, we noted that the company, through Solom Njuguna Mbugua and Allan Mbugua Njuguna as directors, applied for a provisional certificate/replacement of the title by virtue of Gazette Notice Number 1214 of 24th February 2006.

“The parcel was transfered to Farasi Marketing Ltd on 20th December 2016. Farasi applied for a change of user and Land Reference Number was changed to 209/22578. A lease dated 20th December 2023 was issued and subsequently Certificate of Title IR 224383 was issued. Farasi Marketing Ltd charged the parcel to Standard Chartered Bank Ltd for Sh 27,500,000.

“We have written to the DCI requesting for investigations in the directorship of Samron Investment and the circumstances surrounding the application of the replacement title.
“The findings by the DCI will inform the office on the next course of action.
“We have also written to Standard Chartered Bank Ltd notifying them of the irregularities…”

In another development, a director of Mageeta Investment, Ashish Magon, in a letter dated 21st February 2025, wrote to the DCI Nairobi County Headquarters in regard to LR 330/298 on Ole Oduma Road requesting his assistance saying:
“There is somebody who is claiming that the land is his and that he wants to buy it back, yet we are the sole owners of the property. Also, there is an apparent loan that somebody has taken, amounting to Sh 100 million, yet there is no loan that has ever been taken (by ourselves) against the property.”

The Magon family are the proprietors of Trikuti Investiments Ltd, Crystal Investments Ltd, Kitsura Investments, Raska Investments Ltd, Mageeta Investments, Simran Investments Ltd, Magneel Investments Ltd, MagVillas Investments Ltd, Orange Villas Ltd and Borne In Properties Ltd. Ashish Magon is the director of the companies on behalf of the family matriach and his siblings who include Ajay Magon and Rashmi Khabanda.

The family advocates, Chege Karoki and Associates, have already briefed the DCI, highlighting that his clients have varied real estate interests in the country, and hold a property portfolio that has been “the subject of attacks and fraud emanating from the Ministry of Lands offices and those of the Registrar of Companies”.

“As of 11th December 2023, the firm of Chege Kariuki and Associates has had to prosecute several matters for the Magon family, most of which revolve around ownership of the property between the family companies and third parties that claim ownership of the same,” the firm told the DCI.

Most of the properties under the threat of grabbing are posh buildings. Ashish recorded a statement with the DCI on February 21 this year. However, by the time of release of this Home News – Weekly E-edition, nobody had been arrested.