By Ben Okweingoti
A Malindi businessman has accused security officers of conducting a controversial midnight operation on a disputed beachfront property, resulting in the destruction and disappearance of equipment valued at nearly Sh5 million.
Twahir Salim Suod, the administrator of the estate of the late Salim Suod and representative of the family that owns Plots 686 and 695 along the Malindi beachfront, claimed that armed officers stormed the property late Friday night, arrested him alongside several workers, and detained them at Malindi Police Station while property on the site was allegedly destroyed and looted.
According to Suod, the officers arrived shortly before midnight in official vehicles and carrying firearms. Believing they were undertaking a lawful security operation, he said he willingly cooperated and identified himself as the representative of the landowners.
“I introduced myself as the representative of the landowners and welcomed them because I believed they were carrying out official duties. Instead, we were handcuffed and taken away without being told the reason for our arrest,” he said.
Suod alleged that while being transported to the police station, he noticed flames rising from a storage facility within the property but was unable to intervene.
After spending the night in custody, he said he returned to find extensive losses.
“What remained was only a few burnt tents. The mattresses, solar panels, batteries, life jackets, cooler boxes and many other items were gone. Neighbours later told us they saw people loading property onto a pickup truck while we were away,” he claimed.
He estimated the value of the destroyed and missing property at close to Sh5 million.
The beachfront site had recently been developed into a recreational facility that hosted artists, beach operators and youth groups serving tourists. Suod said the area became commercially viable after changes in the shoreline created additional usable land.
He further revealed that the family has been embroiled in a longstanding dispute over the management and ownership of the property. According to him, workers at the site had previously faced repeated harassment from individuals linked to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
Suod claimed the operation occurred at a critical time when investors had expressed interest in leasing part of the beachfront space ahead of a major event expected in the area.
The site's manager, Yasir Bakari, alleged that officers confiscated mobile phones from workers and security guards before arresting them.
“They came at night, pointed guns at the guards and ordered everyone to surrender their phones. We later found that many of our belongings had been taken away,” he alleged.
Bakari further questioned the legality of the operation, claiming no court order was presented and challenging any party claiming ownership of the land to present supporting documentation through the proper legal channels.
“We are not squatters or land grabbers. If anyone says this land belongs to them, let them present title documents and allow the matter to be determined legally,” he said.
Security guard Benjamin Rama also claimed he and two colleagues were arrested without explanation.
“They demanded our phones, handcuffed us and took us away. When I asked what offence we had committed, I was assaulted,” he alleged.
Another guard, Steven Randu Musha, said he witnessed officers arrive at the property in the early hours of the morning and later saw a fire break out near the storage area while workers remained in police custody.
The businessman is now calling for an independent investigation into the incident, demanding accountability for the alleged destruction of property and theft.
He urged police authorities and investigative agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the operation and determine whether due process was followed during the raid.
The allegations have yet to receive an official response from the police or other agencies mentioned in the claims.
