The Negadhi’s house that was demolished in Nairobi West over land ownership row. /CHRISPINUS WEKESA

Family distraught after ‘faceless woman’ grabs their Sh50m property in Nairobi west

Purshottam Negandhi’s family is worried that they may lose their Sh50 million half acre piece of land in Nairobi West to grabbers.

The late accountant’s family is distraught after they were thrown out of the property by goons last week; including divine valuables kept in the family’s prayer room.

They believe the goons were hired by a woman known as Lilian Nyambura, also believed to be protected by police.

After emptying the home, the men locked up the property, leaving the disheartened family perplexed. The late accountant’s wish was that the property be turned into a shelter for underprivileged children.

Neghandhi’s daughter-in-law Naina wants the public to help her identify Nyambura, who she said stole the title deed of the disputed property.

She said their worry is not only that the document was changed after it was stolen, but that the woman behind the scheme remains mysterious.

Efforts to trace her and reveal her true identity have remained futile; something that the family says baffled them after detectives briefed about the matter claimed they do not know Nyambura.

She is alleged to have also changed the valuation roll at City Hall; meaning that all details of the property are in her name, although she does not pay rates.

Naina says the complication of the development is that the Nairobi county government may auction the property, situated at Muthithi Avenue, due to failure to pay rates.

According to the family, Negandhi bought the land and build the house in 1979; further accusing former area councilor Evans Obado of working with the grabbers.

“She (Nyambura) stole the title deed and fraudulently transferred the land in 2014 to herself. When my father-in-law learnt of this, we went to court and obtained a caveat on the property,” Naina said, adding that the troubles started after Negandhi died early 2016.

She narrated that some auctioneers by the name Mutrix Auctioneers also evicted her kins from the property on July 16.

“They said they had come to collect rent from Joseph Karanja whom they said was a tenant but we never had any African tenants on the plot,” Naina said.

Naina added that the mysterious woman has been using different people to lay claim to the property and neither wants her face nor true identity revealed.

“We appeal to anyone who knows Lilian Nyambura Kamau to help us identify her,” Naina said, adding that Negandhi’s granddaughter has been living in the property.

She added that on July 28, the family obtained stay orders and served Nyambura through her lawyers Osundwa Advocates who are stationed on Koinange street.

Naina said that she heard about the lawyers through Nyambura’s forged documents.

However, Naina adds that on July 30,

Nyambura hired goons who raided the property with machetes and pangas and evicted Negandhi’s granddaughter in disregard of the court order.

She said that on August 1, the armed youths came back and started demolishing the house built on the parcel registered under LR number 37/249/4.

Naina showed the Star a copy of the land title deed, a caveat as well as the court order restraining Nyambura and her agents from setting foot on the property.

Last week, the family sent out a press release to the media appealing for help after the armed goons raided the property.

In the release, the family said they have endured a series of violent events and that they fear for their lives since police do not show up whenever they are called.

Describing the late Neghadhi, the family said: “His immense work has positively impacted the lives of many Kenyans, and his passing earlier this year was mourned by his many connections worldwide,”.

“As his family continues to grieve with their tremendous loss, a group of individuals has made our lives even harder than it should be. Part of the family returned to the home in Kenya in late June to work on finalising issues of the accountant’s property,” the statement read.

“The family wished to convert the home into a humanitarian center for aiding poverty-stricken youth. Tragically, the fulfillment of these wishes was jeopardised during this week,” Negandhi’s family said.

The family statement added that all the belongings of the home were tossed onto the street in Nairobi West.

Nyambura nor her agents could not be reached for comment.

Source:http://www.the-star.co.ke/