The Lands Commission has urged prospective land buyers to verify the ownership and legal status of properties before making payments, warning that failure to conduct proper checks could result in financial losses and lengthy legal disputes.
The Commission’s Acting Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Operations, Surveyor Raphael Hokey, said some individuals were selling state-owned and vested lands without the legal authority to do so.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Mr Hokey emphasised the importance of conducting thorough due diligence before entering into land transactions.
He advised buyers to conduct official searches at the Lands Commission, visit the property in person and consult relevant individuals to establish the rightful ownership of the land.
According to him, these steps are necessary to determine whether a property is privately owned or belongs to the state, helping buyers avoid transactions with unauthorised sellers.
Mr Hokey stressed that even when a seller presents documents or claims ownership, prospective purchasers should independently verify the information through the appropriate channels.
He warned that buyers who acquire state lands from individuals without the legal authority to sell them risk serious consequences.
“Even if it is state land, still come and conduct the search because some people, by coming to conduct the search, realised that it was either state land or vested land and then they were dealing with the wrong persons,” he said.
The Commission maintains that proper searches and investigations before purchase can help protect buyers’ investments and prevent avoidable disputes over land ownership.
