Twenty-two people are reported to have lost a combined Ksh.28 million in an housing fraud scheme linked to Gladdens Homes Limited director Bildad Nzuki Wambua.
Wambua was arraigned at the Madaraka Law Courts on September 2, 2026, following investigations by detectives from Starehe Sub-County.
He faces several charges of obtaining money by false pretences under Section 313 of the Penal Code, alongside money laundering charges.
According to the prosecution, Wambua approached members of the public with offers to purchase houses of different designs on land identified as Nairobi/Block A 40/474.
The properties were reportedly presented as part of the Urban Housing Renewable Development LLP project.
Investigators allege that the victims made payments through Gladdens Homes Agency, a privately registered entity associated with Wambua.
The payments were made after the victims were given representations about the housing project and the properties they expected to acquire.
The prosecution opposed his release on bond, with the court expected to deliver its ruling on the application on September 3. The case has also been scheduled for mention on October 15, 2026.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has called on other members of the public who may have dealt with Wambua or Gladdens Homes Agency and suspect that they were similarly defrauded to come forward.
Those affected have been advised to report to DCI offices in Starehe Sub-County, where they can receive assistance and guidance on the matter.
The case has brought renewed attention to concerns over fraud within Kenya’s real estate sector, where members of the public can lose significant amounts of money through property transactions.
In 2025, the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya raised concerns about unregistered firms operating in the property market and called on relevant government agencies to cancel licences of firms operating outside the required regulations.
The institution pointed to the importance of protecting the public in a sector valued at about Ksh.1.12 trillion and which contributed 8.4 per cent to Kenya’s GDP in 2024, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
Detectives have continued to urge prospective property buyers to conduct proper checks before committing their money to housing or land deals. Members of the public have also been encouraged to report suspicious transactions to law enforcement agencies.
