NAIROBI, KENYA – The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) for Lang’ata, Monica Kimani, following allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice in a heated land dispute in the Karen suburb. The probe, registered under case number IPOA/CMU/003547/2025, was initiated after a formal complaint by a company involved in the property ownership battle, as first reported by the Daily Nation on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

The complaint alleges that the Lang’ata police commander ordered the forceful eviction of Thompson Hull Limited from a contested property, identified as L.R No. 3589/47, in direct contravention of a court order. According to the report, the OCPD is accused of deploying approximately 15 police officers to the site to remove the company’s guards. This action allegedly defied a ruling issued by the Environment and Lands Court in Milimani on September 26, 2024, which had denied a request to reinstate two other individuals, Agnes Wachuka and Joseph Wambugu, onto the property.

Further allegations suggest that the police arrested guards stationed at the property and impounded their motorcycles, which were reportedly still being held as of late October 2025. A separate court application has been filed at the Milimani Criminal Division court seeking the release of these motorcycles. In an interview with the Daily Nation, the Lang’ata OCPD acknowledged the complaint but refuted the allegations of taking sides, stating that land matters are emotive and that police can only act upon receiving court orders. The OCPD deferred to the outcome of the ongoing investigations by both IPOA and the National Police Service's Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), which has also been apprised of the matter.

As of Tuesday, November 4, 2025, no other major Kenyan media outlet appears to have reported on this specific investigation, and IPOA has not issued a public statement on the matter. The precise case number and the name of the presiding judge for the September 26, 2024 ruling have not been made public. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.

A Pattern of Police Misconduct in Land Deals

This investigation touches on a sensitive and recurring issue in Kenya: the role of the National Police Service in civil matters, particularly multi-million shilling land disputes. The allegations against the Lang’ata OCPD are not isolated. Reports from transparency and legal oversight bodies have consistently flagged the police and land services as hotspots for corruption.

A July 2025 Kenya Bribery Index published by Transparency International (TI) Kenya identified the police as the most bribery-prone public service sector, with a score of 84 out of 100. The same report ranked land services as the second most corrupt sector. According to the survey, police officers received nearly 40% of all bribes paid in Kenya, and more than half of those who paid bribes to the police believed they would not have received the required services otherwise. These statistics underscore a deep-seated public perception of impunity and corruption within the service, which can be exploited in high-value civil disputes.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has also been vocal about misconduct within the justice and security sectors. In June 2025, the LSK launched an Efficiency and Ethics Taskforce specifically to investigate and address corruption within the judiciary and land registries, citing credible reports of systemic inefficiencies from its members and the public. While not directly addressing police misconduct, the initiative highlights the interconnected nature of corruption in property transactions, which often requires collusion across multiple state agencies. The LSK has also repeatedly condemned police brutality and called for reforms to ensure officers are held accountable for human rights violations and illegal actions.

Implications for Police Accountability in Kenya

The IPOA investigation in Lang’ata serves as a critical test for police accountability mechanisms in Kenya. Established under the IPOA Act of 2011, the authority has the mandate to provide civilian oversight over the work of the police. Its functions include investigating complaints of police misconduct, deaths, and serious injuries caused by police action, and making recommendations for prosecution or disciplinary action.

The parallel notification of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), an autonomous unit within the National Police Service, is also significant. The IAU is mandated to investigate misconduct internally. The outcome of these two concurrent investigations will be closely watched by the public and civil society organizations as a measure of the state's commitment to reining in police impunity, particularly in cases involving powerful commercial or political interests.

For Kenyans, this case is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in property ownership when state officers are alleged to act with impunity. The resolution of IPOA's investigation will have significant implications, not only for the individuals and entities involved in the Karen land dispute but for public confidence in the rule of law and the integrity of the National Police Service.