Chinese Investor in Kenya Demands KSh 110m Damages Over Fraudulent Death Declaration Scheme

A director of a Kenyan mining firm, Han Ke, sues for KSh 110m after being falsely declared dead in a scheme to seize company control. He seeks justice and reform.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 4:57 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

The Audacious Scheme of a Stolen Identity

An international business dispute has taken a remarkable turn in Kenya, where a Chinese investor is demanding KSh 110 million in financial redress after allegedly being listed as deceased in official documents. Han Ke, a director at Chuanshan International Mining Company, claims this fraudulent death declaration was the centerpiece of an elaborate scheme to unlawfully transfer management control of the firm. The audacious plan allegedly unfolded while Ke was on leave in China, and he now finds himself effectively locked out of Kenya because government records report him as dead. Legal counsel Tonge Yoya described the scenario as legally absurd and profoundly troubling, noting the unique challenges it presents for an investor who has committed substantial capital to the country.

Forged Records and a Hostile Takeover

The lawsuit alleges that forged court documents and manipulated internal company records were meticulously utilized to facilitate the illicit transfer of corporate control. This maneuver purportedly allowed company insiders to seize the reins of Chuanshan International Mining while the legitimate director was abroad. Confirming the gravity of these claims, Kenyan authorities have reportedly verified that the death certificates and related documents in question are indeed fraudulent. The investor asserts that this calculated deception caused severe disruption to his personal and professional life, cutting him off from the very operations he moved to Kenya to oversee.

The Financial and Reputational Reckoning

Central to Ke’s litigation is a substantial demand for financial compensation aimed at addressing the damage inflicted on his reputation and personal well-being. The KSh 110 million claim is specifically directed at all alleged perpetrators involved in the conspiracy, reflecting the psychological toll and reputational harm of being declared legally dead while alive. In addition to monetary damages, the investor is insisting on a high,visibility corrective campaign, demanding a public apology in major Kenyan newspapers and across digital platforms. His legal team argues that only a prominent and widespread retraction can begin to repair the severe injury done to Han Ke's name and credibility in Kenya and internationally.