Karen OCS Purity Kobia arrested for selling impounded vehicle
Karen OCS Purity Kobia arrested for selling impounded vehicle.
Karen Police Station Commander Purity Kobia was arrested on Friday by detectives from the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) for allegedly stealing and auctioning a motor vehicle that had been detained at her station.
Ms Kobia was detained at Capitol Hill Police Station.
The Director of Public Prosecutions approved Ms Kobia to be charged after a complaint was filed against the officer over the irregular release of one Siama Rahma's motor vehicle from her station.
“The vehicle, a Mazda Demio registration number KCR 526R, had been detained at the station after it was involved in an accident in October 2021 but was released illegally and sold in 2022 through a public auction and without following due process,” a statement from ODPP read in part.
According to the statement, the vehicle, valued at Sh600,000, was sold for only Sh50,000 under the orders of Ms Kobia.
The complainant said she had made multiple attempts to recover her vehicle but was asked to pay an amount she couldn't raise until July 2022, when she noticed her car was missing at the station.
Ms Rahma in her complaint said that she spotted her car in mid-2023 around Yaya Centre being driven by an officer.
“I reported the matter to traffic officers who were on duty in the area, who referred me to the Kilimani police station to avail my ownership documents,” the report by ODPP added.
She added that when she went to the station, calls were made to the OCS, and the car was granted to the officer, and she was banned from going back to the station.
The report further adds that attempts to recover the vehicle were futile.
The complainant told the unit that the OCS and the Inspector have since avoided her calls and frustrated her efforts, forcing her to file an official complaint against the station with the IAU in November last year.
The unit investigated the matter to its logical conclusion and forwarded the file to the ODPP for directions.
On February 5 2024, the ODPP through the IAU, granted the OCS and her accomplices 30 days to compensate the complainant, failure to which they would be charged with five counts of, amongst others, stealing a motor vehicle, abuse of office, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
“Get back to this office at the lapse of the 30 days to confirm settlement of the matter or charging of the suspects,” ODPP directed.
After the lapse of 30 days, the OCS was expected in court on Thursday but did not show up and detectives from the IAU trailed the OCS and arrested her and booked her at Capitol Hill police station via OB number 22/05/04/2024.
She was later released on a Sh10,000 cash bail after requesting the ODPP to be set free, claiming she was too sick to take the plea.
She is expected in court on April 17, where she is expected to take a plea alongside the auctioneer who sold the vehicle that is currently detailed at Capitol Hill police station as an exhibit.
Ms Kobia, is facing charges including conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 393 of the Penal Code., stealing a motor vehicle contrary to section 278 of the Penal Code, false swearing contrary to section 114 of the Penal Code and abuse of office contrary to section 101(1) of the Penal Code.
