How couple defrauded senior Nairobi police officer of Sh660,000 in fake car deal

Ms Teresia Ongeri at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi.

Photo credit: Joseph Ndunda I Nation Media Group

A woman who allegedly conspired with her husband to defraud a senior police officer of Sh660,300 in a fake car deal has been charged with conspiracy and fraud.

Teresia Moraa Ongeri is facing charges of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses after allegedly receiving half of the money in her bank account.

She is accused of conspiring with her husband, who has not been arrested, to defraud Chief Inspector Gilbert Wanjala of the cash while allegedly promising to help him acquire a motor vehicle.

The suspect is also facing charges of obtaining Sh270, 000 from Mr Wanjala with intent to defraud contrary to section 313 of the penal code by pretending that she was in a position to process documents for and sell a motor vehicle to the complainant.

The accused committed the offence in Embakasi, Nairobi on diverse dates between January 17th and February 25th this year jointly with her husband Charles Komo Onyango.

Mr Onyango was charged on October 14 at the Kibera Law Courts with conning two businessmen of their money amounting to slightly over Sh1.9 million under similar circumstances after promising to help them buy cars at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in Mombasa.

Wanjala was introduced to the suspects by his colleague.

He met Mr Onyango in Nairobi and he claimed to be in a position to sell him a Toyota Hiace which he claimed to have bought during a public auction of vehicles by the KPA.

Mr Wanjala was given Ms Ongeri’s bank account number to make payment and he transferred Sh270, 000 to the account. He sent the other amount via M-Pesa.

However, none of the two delivered the car to Mr Wanjala and instead resorted to avoiding after they received the cash.

Mr Wanjala reported the matter at the Embakasi Police Station and Ms Ongeri was traced and arrested after investigations.

Ms Ongeri denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Mercy Malingu at the Makadara Law Courts and was granted a cash bail of Sh100,000 and an alternative bond of Sh500,000. The matter will be mentioned on November 1, 2022 before hearing starts on January 21, 2023.