Police officer arraigned over alleged involvement in Nairobi car theft syndicate

A serving police officer has been arrested and arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts over his alleged involvement in a motor vehicle theft syndicate operating in Nairobi.

Willis Omondi Onduru was arrested on October 2, 2026, at Maji House following a months-long investigation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Kilimani.

The investigation began after the theft of a Toyota Vitz belonging to Phoebe Atieno Otieno on August 15, 2026.

Otieno had parked the light green vehicle, registration number KBL 732Q, outside the RFUEA grounds along Ngong Road while attending a rugby match.

When she returned later that evening, she discovered that the vehicle, valued at about Ksh.655,000, had been stolen.

She reported the theft at Jamhuri Police Station and later shared details of the missing vehicle on social media in an effort to recover it.

Members of the public subsequently spotted the vehicle in Utawala, prompting Otieno's brother and friends to track it to Malaa Shopping Centre along Kangundo Road.

However, an unidentified person reportedly drove away in the vehicle before responding police officers could secure it.

The investigation took a new turn in September when Otieno spotted the stolen vehicle being advertised for sale on Facebook marketplace.

Although the car had been repainted from light green to white and fitted with registration number KBA 625M, Otieno identified it through its customised headlights and other distinctive features.

Detectives from Kilimani then organised a sting operation in which an accomplice, Edward Karanja Ngugi, posed as a prospective buyer and arranged to meet the seller at Pangani Shopping Centre on September 17, 2026.

The seller was arrested during a staged road test, and the vehicle was recovered.

According to court documents, the suspect was found with allegedly forged documents, including a Motor Vehicle Sale Agreement dated September 3, 2026, and a doctored logbook.

Investigators subsequently traced the documentation and electronic trail to Onduru.

Sergeant David Kung'u, the investigating officer, presented a supporting affidavit to the Chief Magistrate's Court, leading to Onduru's arrest at Maji House.

The prosecution is seeking custodial orders, arguing that Onduru's position as a serving police officer gives him knowledge of police procedures and investigative structures that could enable him to interfere with witnesses.

The prosecution also told the court that several people linked to the alleged fraudulent vehicle transaction remain at large and that Onduru's place of residence has not been satisfactorily verified, raising concerns that he could abscond.

Onduru faces a charge of stealing a motor vehicle contrary to Section 278(A) of the Penal Code, an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment upon conviction.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has requested at least five days to complete its investigations and determine whether additional or more serious charges will be brought against the officer.

The DCI is continuing investigations into the alleged syndicate, including tracing the electronic and documentary trail linked to the vehicle's theft and attempted sale.