A duper found masquerading as a highly trained forensic expert offering tape-lift services at Kiambu Road’s Ridgeways Centre was arrested in an operation.
Manace Otieno Ayata, who profiled himself to car sellers as a CSI detective working at DCI’s National Forensic Laboratory, secured a regrettable meet up with real crew members from the forensic department when he invited a car owner for tape-lifting services on Thursday
In the incident on February 13, the reportee who had just gifted himself a Valentine’s Day gift enquired from the sellers where he could get the service, and was given Ayata’s contact with directions that he worked at DCI Headquarters.
Having agreed that he calls Ayata after arriving at the main entrance, the reportee drove all the way but on arrival at the gate failed to reach Ayata on phone.
He therefore sought guidance from the security personnel who directed him to the Forensic Lab, where he hoped to meet “detective Ayata”.
After several missed calls, the reportee approached a CSI officer who happened to be examining a client’s vehicle at the parking yard. Coincidentally, the officer, a Chief Inspector of Police, was offering a tape-lift service.
Taking it upon himself to find out who Manace Otieno Ayata was, the officer made numerous calls to colleagues but none happened to have ever heard of Ayata in the department or anywhere within the Headquarters.
But as fate would have it, Ayata, who happened to have stepped away from his phone, called back, right on cue for a showdown with real hawkshaws.
The car owner, who by then knew he had been dealing with a con artist, pretended to be still interested in the service.
As expected in the newest series of “Mchezo wa Town”, Ayata explained that he had stepped out of office but that he could still offer the service at Ridgeways.
Careful not to put the reportee’s vehicle in the line of a police operation, the detectives drove with the reportee to the agreed location in a government vehicle (a Subaru), to find an overly money-minded Ayata who immediately folded his sleeves to start whatever job he would have done with the reportee’s car.
Stretching out his hand for a spanner after opening the car’s hood, Ayata’s heart sunk on feeling some cold cuffs massage his wrist.
As one waking up from a chloroformic slumber, he realized that the vehicle had a glaring GK sticker right in his eyes.
He was whisked away.
Upon search, 19 vehicle logbooks, 35 tape-lift reports, assorted driving licenses and National Identification cards were confiscated from him.
Appearing at Kahawa Law Courts today, he was released on a Sh500,000 bond with one surety of similar amount, alternatively a cash bail of Sh100,000.
The matter will be coming up for mention on February 28, 2025.
Meanwhile, a team of Serious Crimes detectives have launched a thorough probe into the case, as it is believed that the suspect could be a member of a larger organized criminal ring linked to motor vehicle theft.
