DCI arrests George Gitu who used forged logbooks to acquire Sh4 million loans

In a statement released by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the man identified as George Gitu obtained over Sh4.4million through the forged logbooks.

Gitu, in conspiracy with other officials at the National Transport and Safety Authority’s (NTSA) ICT department, had a number of vehicles registered under his name as the alleged legitimate owner.

“Gitu, working with crooked NTSA officials at the ICT department was registered in the TIMS system as the bona fide owner of KCD 974Z, Isuzu D-Max, KCR, 280R Toyota Vanguard and KCL 922G, Toyota Landcruiser Prado then fraudulently obtained credit using the vehicles’ forged documents,” the statement by the DCI read.

The suspect used the vehicles to acquire loans from micro-financing companies then reverted the names to the original owners leaving the innocent owners at the jaws of the auctioneers. One of Gitu's unsuspecting victims, the DCI says, was a woman living with a disability.

“After acquiring Sh1.5 million from Northwave Credit, Sh1.4 million from Momentum Ltd and Sh843,000, from Bidii Credit, the logbooks were reverted to their original owners, in a well-choreographed scheme similar to a Hollywood movie script.

"The owners were left at the mercy of ruthless auctioneers who later went for the vehicles that had been used as security, to finance Githu’s and his accomplices’ lifestyles. In one sad case, a physically challenged woman based in Thika, who had received the Toyota Prado,” the DCI said.

In court, the judge denied the prosecution team motion to detain the suspect to allow more investigations, the DCI however said they have arrested five more suspects linked to the syndicate and are still in pursuit of three more suspects working with Gitu.

“The detectives who have been joined by their counterparts from the Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau, are currently on the trail of three more suspects who are part of this miscreant gang, that has left vehicle owners in the country living in fear of their vehicles being auctioned for defaulting on loans they know nothing about,” DCI stated.