Italian nationals Daniele Lo Coco and Massimo Nativi before Kilifi Law Courts on July 9, 2026. [Nehemiah Okwembah, Standard]
Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been accused of taking sides in the raging multimillion-dollar land disputes between Italian investors in Watamu, Kilifi County.
Two Italian investors said that although the dispute over the ownership of two villas was a civil matter, the DCI officers in Malindi had allegedly taken sides and were harassing and intimidating them.
Daniele Lo Coco and Massimo Nativi, directors of Tamu Rafiki Real Estate Limited, said that on August 18, 2026, police officers stormed into their property to arrest them with no warrant of arrest.
The investors said the officers claimed that they are wanted over allegations of obtaining money by false pretences, charges linked to the ownership of Villa 12B for land parcel Kilifi/Jimba 2019.
On arrival at the gate, the detectives informed the security guards that they had warrants of arrest against Lo Coco and Nativi; however, they did not produce them.
The police confiscated four mobile phones from the security guards. Lo Coco and Nativi said the police are yet to explain why they took the guards' phones in breach of their privacy.