Manace Otieno Ayata, a middle-aged man accused of impersonating a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) forensics officer, was arrested while offering tape-lifting services to unsuspecting motorists at Ridgeways Centre along Kiambu Road.
Ayata was presented before the Kahawa Law Courts on Friday, February 14, 2025, where he was charged with fraud and impersonation.
The court granted him a Ksh.500,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount or a cash bail of Ksh.100,000.
DCI Boss Mohamed Ibrahim Amin during a past media presser. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
His arrest followed a report by a motorist who had purchased a car as a Valentine’s gift and sought to verify its chassis and engine numbers. The seller directed him to Ayata, claiming he worked at the DCI Headquarters.
However, when the motorist arrived at the DCI offices and failed to reach Ayata, he consulted security personnel, who directed him to the real forensics department.
DCI officers training on a motorbike. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
A Chief Inspector of Police, upon hearing the motorist’s concerns, launched inquiries into Ayata’s identity, only to discover that no such officer existed in the department.
At that moment, Ayata returned the motorist’s call, claiming he had stepped out but could meet him at Ridgeways Centre to conduct the tape-lifting service.
The officers played along, accompanying the motorist in an official government vehicle. Upon arrival, Ayata immediately began preparing for the process, but before he could start, detectives pounced on him.
A search of Ayata’s belongings uncovered 19 logbooks, 35 tape-lift reports, and several identification documents, suggesting a larger vehicle fraud scheme.
Authorities have launched further investigations, with Ayata’s case set for mention on February 28, 2025.
The development of Ayata comes amid the soaring cases of abductions and where security agencies led by DCI have come out to allege possibility of fake cops wanting to taint the govt in a bad ligjht.
