Fake Facebook car dealer faces fraud charges
Cyrus Litswa at the Makadara Law Courts on June 6, 2023.
A fake car dealer who advertised non-existent cars on Facebook and allegedly duped an unsuspecting buyer has been charged with conspiracy to defraud contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code.
Cyrus Litswa was accused of conspiring with two others, who have already been charged, to advertise on their Facebook account under the false pretence that they were carrying on a genuine business as car dealers in the Ridgeways area of Starehe sub-county in Nairobi.
They allegedly claimed that they were selling motor vehicles with registration numbers KDK 811X - a Mazda Demio and KDK 897Q - a Toyota Fielder to anyone who would remit them a sum of Sh1.6 million.
Litswa was also charged with the offence of obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 313 of the Penal Code where he is accused of defrauding Paul Muinde of Sh1.6 million.
He is accused of defrauding Mr Muinde in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) on 26 January by falsely pretending to sell him the two cars.
Mr Muinde had wanted to buy a motor vehicle and came across an advertisement on Facebook where a fictitious company - Al Mansoor Motors - had advertised the cars and claimed to be selling them at a yard along Kiambu Road.
He later travelled to Nairobi and was taken to a yard along Kiambu Road where he saw the two cars.
The complainant later visited Nairobi CBD with a person who claimed to be a salesman for the "company" to seal the deal.
Mr Muinde later transferred half of the money from his bank account to that of the supposed company, which the supposed salesman had given him, and gave the rest to the salesman in cash.
The salesman excused himself to deposit the cash at the bank, disappeared and then switched off his mobile phone.
