Car dealer charged over Ksh.6.5 million vehicle fraud involving two customers

Patrick Kiiru Mbuthia appeared before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo, where he denied two counts of obtaining money by false pretences.

The prosecution alleged that Kiiru used the same vehicle, registration number KDE 073Y, to persuade two customers to make payments purportedly intended to clear an outstanding bank loan secured against the truck.

In the first count, Kiiru is accused of obtaining Sh4,425,400 from Robert Kimani Koinange between December 21, 2023, and September 25, 2026, by falsely claiming to have sold him the Mitsubishi FTR.

According to the prosecution, Kiiru told Koinange that the money was needed to settle the vehicle's outstanding bank financing and promised to transfer ownership to him once the loan was cleared.

However, prosecutors alleged that the representation was false and was intended to induce Koinange to part with his money.

In the second count, Kiiru was accused of obtaining Sh2,159,000 from Caroline Muthoni Njau through a similar arrangement during the same period.

The court heard that he allegedly told Njau that the Mitsubishi FTR had been sold to Koinange and that her payment would facilitate the clearance of the outstanding bank loan.

He allegedly assured her that ownership of the vehicle would be transferred to Koinange once the financing was settled.

The prosecution claimed that the representations were intended to deceive Njau into releasing the money.

The two transactions brought the total amount allegedly obtained from the complainants to Sh6,584,400.

Kiiru was released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 pending further proceedings.