Nairobi businesswoman charged over alleged vehicle fraud scheme
Kiongo appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Paul Mutahi, where she denied multiple charges arising from the alleged incident.
A Nairobi-based businesswoman, Leah Muthoni Kiongo, has been charged in connection with an alleged fraudulent transfer of motor vehicle ownership through the National Transport and Safety Authority (National Transport and Safety Authority) system.
Kiongo appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Paul Mutahi, where she denied multiple charges arising from the alleged incident.
According to court documents, prosecutors allege that on May 19, 2021, Kiongo, together with other individuals not before the court, forged documents used to facilitate the transfer of ownership of two motor vehicles, registration numbers KBS 771E and KBK 391B.
The documents are said to have included affidavits requesting changes to a registered mobile phone number within the NTSA system.
The prosecution claims the affidavits bore forged signatures of the registered owner, Stephen Kiongo Karuku, and were used to initiate unlawful ownership transfers.
In a separate count, she is accused of obtaining motor vehicle registration certificates through false pretences, allegedly by misrepresenting that the logbooks had been lawfully issued by NTSA’s Directorate of Registration and Licensing.
This, prosecutors say, led to the issuance of registration documents for the two vehicles.
Kiongo also faces charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
Investigators allege that on May 20, 2021, she unlawfully accessed and manipulated the NTSA computer system by bypassing security controls and altering ownership records without authorisation.
The prosecution further told the court that she forged an affidavit purportedly signed by Stephen Kiongo Karuku to facilitate changes in the NTSA system, and another allegedly signed by Vincent K. Mogaka to support the transfer process.
The altered records are said to have ultimately transferred ownership of the vehicles to Daniel Mutua Tanyai.
The court was told that the accused deliberately facilitated the acquisition and transfer of the two vehicles by falsely presenting documents as genuine NTSA-issued records.
Kiongo was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 pending further hearing of the case.
