An Indian national who lied to police about losing Sh10.5 million in a highway robbery has been arrested.
According to detectives based in Parklands, Nairobi, the trader only collected Sh3.25 million from his clients which he actually deposited in the bank.
“The other remaining amount was never collected from the customers as claimed. He’s in custody and will be charged tomorrow (Thursday),” said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
A two-hour delay in reporting the alleged highway robbery aroused suspicion since the trader claimed he was accosted less than 3km from the Parklands Police Station.
Mr Jaydeep Rajeshkumar Thanki, a foreigner who works for Kenmatch East Africa Ltd, told police that he was flagged down by a motorcyclist and his pillion passenger on Prof Wangari Maathai Road, formerly known as Forest Road.
When he slowed down, Mr Thanki said the two drew out a pistol and demanded that he surrenders a bag he had in his car.
The incident, he said, happened near Premier Academy on Monday at 6.30pm
The bag, he claimed, had Sh10.5 million he had collected from clients whom he said he supplied with merchandise.
But police have since established that he only collected Sh3.25 million from his clients, an amount he actually banked.
In his statement, he told the police the gunmen sped off towards Pangani direction.
Now police said they will arraign him on Thursday for giving false information.
Of interest, the complainant said the money was insured despite claiming it was payment from an Eastleigh-based trader whom they had delivered undeclared merchandise to.
“He is a foreigner of certificate number 510063. He says he works for Kenmatch East Africa Limited,” one of the investigators privy with the ongoing probe told K24 Digital.
Police were keen to get statements from senior managers at Kenmatch East Africa Ltd and the undisclosed client in Eastleigh to authenticate the payment.
This comes amid rising cases of insurance fraud arising from fictitious claims.
Mr Thanki is likely to be charged with insurance fraud and giving false information to the police.
Early this month, Insurance Regulatory Authority officers attached to Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit foiled a falsified attempt to defraud Sanlam Insurance of Sh204 million.
Mr Anthony Maina Kiama, 29, is accused of lodging a false claim that his Thika-based company, Afroplast Industries, lost their manufacturing machines in a fire incident last year.
Investigators established the machine belonged to a different firm.
