Why hundreds of Kenyans Buying Land Before Succession are losing millions to fraudster

In this episode of our normal legal explainers, we break down the serious legal consequences of buying or selling property belonging to a deceased person before succession is completed. Wakili Danstan Omari explains how many Kenyans unknowingly enter sale agreements with widows, sons, daughters, or relatives of dead persons believing they will receive title deeds once succession is finalized — only to discover that such transactions may amount to the criminal offence of intermeddling under Section 45 of the Law of Succession Act. The discussion is based on a real High Court case from Machakos where both the family members who sold the land and the buyer were found to have illegally dealt with the estate of a deceased person. The court warned that anyone who sells, leases, transfers, or even collects income from a dead person’s property without a Grant of Letters of Administration risks arrest, prosecution, and being compelled to refund the money received. This is a must-watch for anyone buying land, inheriting family property, or dealing with succession matters in Kenya.