For months, a quiet battle over a piece of land in Westlands has turned ugly, putting Somali businessman Adan Haji Isaack in the spotlight. He now faces accusations of hiring goons to intimidate and harass a city professor in a bid to take over a 1.2-acre property located along Peponi Road.
The case, reported at the Spring Valley Police Station under an active OB number, has opened fresh discussions about how powerful individuals allegedly use violence and threats to settle property disputes in Nairobi.
The victim, identified as Professor Lumumba Nyaberi, is a respected 60-year-old law lecturer at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. He has built a reputation in academia and the legal field, but his life reportedly took a dark turn when he resisted attempts by suspected land grabbers to take over his property.
Sources familiar with the matter say that after the professor stood his ground and refused to surrender his land, hired goons began visiting the site, allegedly threatening his workers and vandalizing property.
Those familiar with the case claim that Adan Haji Issack was behind the group that invaded the property armed with machetes and crude weapons.
The goons are said to have forcibly evicted the professor’s caretakers and left a trail of destruction. Despite the seriousness of the matter, police have not yet arrested the businessman, saying investigations are ongoing.
Officers at Spring Valley Police Station confirmed that the report has been received and that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is expected to take over the file soon.
The land in question sits in one of Nairobi’s most valuable areas, and such disputes have become increasingly common in recent years.
Many cases involve influential businessmen and foreigners trying to grab property through questionable means, often leaving rightful owners helpless.
Professor Nyaberi’s case is particularly worrying as it highlights the growing trend of using force and intimidation to settle civil disputes.
A Ghanaian national identified only as Eric has also been mentioned in the ongoing investigation. Reports suggest he was working closely with the Somali businessman in what appears to be a coordinated effort to seize the land.
Residents of the area say the attacks were meant to scare off the professor so that the land could be taken over without resistance.
If the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approves the charges, Adan Haji Issack may face prosecution for trespass and malicious damage to property under the Penal Code. The professor has urged authorities to act quickly, expressing fears for his safety and that of his family.
The case has drawn public attention to Nairobi’s recurring land-grabbing problem, where power and money often overshadow justice.
The outcome of this case will likely determine whether the law can still protect ordinary citizens from such aggression or whether impunity will continue to thrive in Kenya’s land sector.
Add Comment