Saturday, February 15, 2025 - A duper found masquerading as a highly trained forensic expert offering tape-lift services at Kiambu Road's Ridgeways Centre has had his day in court, following his arrest at the said operation base.
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.
In the incident that occurred yesterday, February 13th,
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. "Good morning. Would you please direct me to
Mr Ayata's office. I have an appointment." 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 Sh
500,000 bond with one surety of similar amount, alternatively a cash bail of Sh
100,000.
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.
The
Kenyan DAILY POST
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