Lessons from a car dealer who sold high end car to robbery suspect killed by police

The Volkswagen Touareg in which police gunned down lawyer Jeremiah Kinyua Meeme and four other men in Juja. [Photo: Standard]

A car dealer is regretting his failure to ensure transfer of ownership of a car in which five men were killed by police last week in Juja, Kiambu County.

Mr Allen Kambuni, a marketing executive of a local company says he sold the Volkswagen Touareg to Amos Ngugi in July 2018.

Ngugi was one of the five suspects shot dead by police on Tuesday 12th March 2019 in Juja. Others included lawyer Jeremiah Kinyua Meeme and land dealer Collins Ojuok.

Ngugi was lawyer Meeme’s client as he had an ongoing criminal case in Embu. He had also been linked to the killing of a Catholic priest in Kinoo area in 2018.

Kambuni said even after paying for the car, Ngugi fussy-footed on the transfer. He did not know why. “But whenever I tried to transfer ownership to him he declined to acknowledge. His acknowledgement is key to ensure transfer as per NTSA rules,” said Kambuni.

He said Ngugi paid him Sh1.4 million for the car. He has all the documents to show the process.

Shot dead: Lawyer Jeremiah Meeme Kinyua.

According to Kambuni, police summoned him in January for questioning regarding the car. “I told them I had sold it (car) to Ngugi and showed them the transfer documents. They told me to ensure the transfer was complete because data at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) showed it still belonged to me,” he said.

Kambuni advises anyone buying and selling cars to ensure the transfer process is complete. “That car can be involved in crime or accident and if records show it is still yours when you have sold it you will be in trouble,” he added.

He said police are yet to call him since the shooting happened. He was only getting calls and messages from friends and relatives who still think the car is his.

The five men were killed as they drove on the highway after a brief chase. Police seemed to have been trailing them.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the circumstances under which the men were killed.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has written to Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, asking for investigations, arrests and prosecution.