Seven suspects were arrested for kidnaping and attempting to murder a 35-year-old man on a disputed piece of land in Diani, Kwale County.
One of the suspects includes a handler of a local political leader embroiled in the piece of land, police said.
The group had kidnapped one Juma Swaleh, 35 Tradewinds area, forced him into the boot of a car, and drove to the land before dropping him there.
He had stab wounds all over his body, police said.
Police said they were called to the scene and found the victim seriously injured with multiple cuts on the forehead, face, and nose.
He was rushed to Msambweni County Referral Hospital for medical treatment before police traced and arrested the seven linked to the July 17 incident.
Kwale police boss Stephen Ngetich said Friday that the case of kidnap and attempted murder on the suspect is pending before the court.
"The matter is now under active probe and we will take more action as more come out on the motive," he said.
This came days after Justice Addraya Edda Dena issued orders stopping the Kwale County Government and four others including the governor stopping them from interfering with the land.
This is in relation to a matter where a foreigner owning the land under Krav Marine Limited has sued the parties for trying to grab his land.
Justice Dena ordered that the status quo on the suit properties known as Kwale/Diani Beach Block/1270-1287 shall be maintained.
“That there shall be no sale or disposition of the suit property by the parties in this suit. That the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendant shall also refrain from visiting the suit property for any purpose. These orders shall subsist for a period of 21 days awaiting the regularisation of the record by all the defendants,” she ordered in the order dated July 3.
The judge said the court will revisit the status quo orders and confirm them with the agreement of all the parties.
The matter was set for hearing on October 22, 2024.
She warned that any disobedience or non-observance of the order of the Court given will result in penal consequences to any person (s) so disobeying and/or not observing the same.
“And further that if this order is not obeyed; an application shall be made citing you and any such other person(s) so disobeying for contempt of court seeking therein your detention and other.”
This came as the investor complained police were not helping him in securing the property despite the court order.
Unknown people had invaded the prime property and fenced it in the past week disobeying the orders.
This culminated in the kidnap and attempted murder of the man at the land, police say.
Kwale County Governor Fatuma Achani with former Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua had visited the land early this year amid the controversies.
The governor said the Kwale County Government and the Ministry of Tourism are in the process of putting up a tourist market in Diani along the beach road.
This is after the administration said they “successfully repossessed” two acres of land that were illegally acquired by the private developers, she announced even as the matter was in court.
KPLC - 4 Counties to Experience Power Interruptions Today