Detectives arrest 11 suspects in vehicle registration fraud at NTSA

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested 11 suspects in motor vehicle registration fraud at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).

The suspects were arrested after detectives conducted a comprehensive system audit of the NTSA Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS).

This was after the DCI received information that some NTSA officials were operating secret back office accounts to register motor vehicles fraudulently.

DCI detectives have arrested 11 suspects involved in motor vehicle registration fraud at the NTSA. Photo: DCI

“In the ongoing probe conducted by Cybercrime sleuths based at the National Forensic Laboratory, the main suspect identified as Jimmy Kibet Wayans, was arrested at a house in Lavington where he operated a suspicious account that had infiltrated the TIMS system to illegally introduce vehicles,” read part of the DCI statement.

DCI reported that in March and April 2023, 47 vehicles had their chassis changed while 54 were fraudulently added into the system.

“Further investigations reveal that the suspect who is not an employee of NTSA had major back office roles and was in control of several other fictitious user accounts in the NTSA system,” DCI noted in a statement.

Some of the items recovered from suspects arrested over motor vehicle registration fraud at the NTSA. Photo: DCI

Detectives are also investigating how a deactivated account belonging to a former ICT officer at NTSA was reactivated and was being used for back-office transactions, several months after he had tendered his resignation in July 2022.

Following the revelation, three NTSA employees Anthony Waithaka, David Migwi, and David Kimaren were also arrested, in the elaborate criminal enterprise that also involved officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority.

In addition, one suspect from KRA identified as Boniface Njoroge has been arrested as detectives pursue other suspects involved.

Police also managed to arrest Denis Wafula, Anthony Kariuki, Marvin Renisi, Julius Kiprop, Amos Muthaki, and Caleb Odiambo.

At the same time, detectives have uncovered an elaborate scheme where one motor vehicle registration number and its logbook would be registered to more than one vehicle and the fraudulent logbook would be used to secure loans from banks and microfinances.

SUSPECTS IN NTSA VEHICLE REGISTRATION FRAUD ARRESTED

11 suspects have been arrested by detectives in connection to a high-level motor vehicle registration fraud, at the National Transport and Safety Authority.

This is after detectives conducted a comprehensive system audit of… pic.twitter.com/S5jxPspbU7
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) October 5, 2023

Before the bona fide owner of the logbook realized that his/her logbook had secured a loan, auctioneers from the microfinances involved would be rudely knocking on their doors, to impound and sell the vehicles for not servicing loans that they did not take.

“This was followed by the arrest of two men who were busted at a cyber cafe in Ngara, along Desai road, with 450 genuine motor vehicle logbooks.”

“The criminals would also illegally develop affidavits and commission them, before sending them to their contacts at NTSA for forced transfer of motor vehicles.”

“In a matter of minutes, the transfer of a motor vehicle would be finalized exposing the possibility of one’s vehicle being transferred without their knowledge,” DCI reported in a statement.