In a major breakthrough, detectives have apprehended 11 suspects allegedly involved in a sophisticated motor vehicle registration fraud linked to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). This operation was initiated after a thorough system audit of NTSA's Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS) raised suspicions of illicit registrations orchestrated by corrupt NTSA officials.
The prime suspect, Jimmy Kibet Wayans, was apprehended at a residence in Lavington, where he operated a suspicious account that had infiltrated the TIMS system to surreptitiously introduce vehicles. Shockingly, in just the months of March and April, a staggering 47 vehicles had their chassis numbers altered, while 54 were fraudulently added to the system, exposing the magnitude of the criminal activity. Further investigations unveiled that Wayans, who was not an NTSA employee, held significant back-office positions and controlled numerous fictitious user accounts within the NTSA system.
Simultaneously, investigators are delving into the baffling reactivation of a deactivated account belonging to a former ICT officer at NTSA, several months after his resignation in July 2022.
In light of these revelations, three NTSA employees, Anthony Waithaka, David Migwi, and David Kimaren, were also apprehended. This intricate criminal network extended its reach to involve individuals from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) as well. Among them, Boniface Njoroge from KRA has been detained, as investigators work tirelessly to apprehend all suspects implicated in this high-level fraud, which has deprived the government of crucial revenue.
Previously, a comprehensive exposé under the hashtag #FichuakwaDCI exposed collusion between corrupt officials at the vehicle registration body and unscrupulous personnel in microfinance institutions and street brokers, causing immense distress to vehicle owners. This scheme involved registering a single vehicle with multiple logbooks, which were then used to obtain loans from banks and microfinance institutions. When the legitimate owner of the logbook discovered that their document had been used fraudulently, auctioneers from the involved microfinances would seize and sell the vehicles for non-existent debts.
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Subsequently, two individuals were apprehended at a cyber cafe in Ngara, along Desai Road, with a cache of 450 genuine motor vehicle logbooks. The process to acquire a logbook at this establishment took mere hours, thanks to an insider at NTSA, while other citizens endured months of waiting.
The ringleader of this syndicate also illicitly generated and notarized affidavits, forwarding them to contacts at NTSA for the forced transfer of motor vehicles. In a matter of minutes, a vehicle's ownership could be altered without the owner's knowledge.
These alarming reports have spotlighted the National Transport and Safety Authority, prompting a thorough investigation authorized by the Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Mr. Mohamed Amin. Recently, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport visited NTSA headquarters, assuring the public that corrective measures would be swiftly implemented.
Meanwhile, the public is advised to exercise caution when dealing with brokers who claim to expedite the processing of motor vehicle logbooks, reflective plates, and driving licenses in exchange for money. Instead, they are encouraged to utilize the TIM portal for legitimate services.
