A Kenyan court has revoked a land title for a 7.11-hectare parcel within Karura Forest, determining the property was fraudulently taken from public ownership. Justice David Mwangi ruled the allocation to Gigiri Court Limited and Joseph Kamotho violated constitutional and environmental protections for public forests. The court ordered the land returned to government control under the Kenya Forest Service and National Land Commission.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission brought the case in 2007 after discovering the parcel had been illegally removed from forest reserve land in the 1990s. Officials found the transfer lacked required ministerial approval, parliamentary ratification and proper gazette notices for removing forest protection. The land had been designated for the expansion of the Kenya Technical Trainers College.
Defendants claimed they purchased the property lawfully for 16 million shillings after verifying clear title records. The court rejected their arguments, stating that forest land belongs to Kenyans and cannot be converted into private property without legal compliance. A permanent injunction now bars any development or occupation of the site.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission brought the case in 2007 after discovering the parcel had been illegally removed from forest reserve land in the 1990s. Officials found the transfer lacked required ministerial approval, parliamentary ratification and proper gazette notices for removing forest protection. The land had been designated for the expansion of the Kenya Technical Trainers College.
Defendants claimed they purchased the property lawfully for 16 million shillings after verifying clear title records. The court rejected their arguments, stating that forest land belongs to Kenyans and cannot be converted into private property without legal compliance. A permanent injunction now bars any development or occupation of the site.
