adminThe bulk of cases dealt with by the economic crimes courts have something to do with fake documentation and sale of non-existent stands and houses.
Fraud victims are thronging the commercial crimes unit to report their cases before they are referred to the CID fraud squad.
The Office of the Chief Registrar of Deeds in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs has expressed concern over production of fake title deeds and the swindling of unsuspecting home seekers.
The office has warned potential property buyers against blindly purchasing properties without verifying the authenticity of the documents.
“Members of the public are hereby warned that there have been cases of potential buyers of immovable property being persuaded to part with their hard-earned income through fraudulent transactions.
“To convince potential purchasers, conmen are producing fake title deeds with their names on them so as to convince buyers that the property is registered in their names,” the office said in a statement.
The Chief Registrar of Deeds’ Office has advised potential immovable property buyers to first verify the authenticity of the sales and the documents involved before making any payments.
“To safeguard oneself from possible loss, members of the public are advised to do the following before parting with their money:
- Ensure that the Estate Agent they are dealing with is registered with the Estate Agents Council as required by the Estate Act (Chapter 27:03)
- Seek professional assistance of a practising legal practitioner
- Conduct a search in the Deeds Office in terms of Section 9 of the Deeds Registries Act (Chapter 20:05) to search in the following:
- The authenticity of the documents presented to you.
- The rightful registered owner of the property
- Any third party interested against the property,” read the statement.
A legal expert Mr Wellington Pasipanodya of Manase and Manase said when buying property, the safest way is to go through registered estate agents and registered law firms before payment is made.
Online Reporter