Police are holding eleven suspects in connection with motor vehicle registration fraud at the National Transport and Safety Authority.
The suspects were nabbed after detectives conducted a comprehensive system audit of the NTSA Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS) after suspecting unscrupulous offcials were operating back office accounts to register motor vehicles fraudulently.
In the ongoing probe conducted by detectives from the Cybercrime unit based at the National Forensic Laboratory Jimmy Kibet Wayans, believed to be the lead player was arrested at a house in Lavington where he operated a suspicious account that detectives say had infiltrated the TIMS system to illegally introduce vehicles.
According to detectives in the case, in the months of March and April alone, 47 vehicles had their chassis changed while 54 were fraudulently added into the system, laying bare the extent of the fraud perpetuated by the criminals.
Further investigations reveal that the suspect who is not an employee of NTSA had major back office roles and was in control of several other fictitious user accounts in the NTSA system. Detectives are also investigating how a deactivated account belonging to a former ICT officer at NTSA was reactivated and was being used for back office transactions, several months after he had tendered his resignation in July 2022.
Following the revelation, three NTSA employees Anthony Waithaka, David Migwi and David Kimaren were also arrested.
So far, one suspect from KRA identified as Boniface Njoroge has been arrested as detectives intensify investigations into the criminal enterprise.
Also arrested were Denis Wafula, Anthony Kariuki, Marvin Renisi, Julius Kiprop, Amos Muthaki and Caleb Odiambo.
The suspects face several counts including obtaining registration by false pretence contrary to section 320 of the penal code, unauthorised access contrary to section 14(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act, access with intent to commit further offence and unauthorised interference all under the same Act.
