How Kiambu finance chief was nabbed with ‘fake’ US dollars

The car in which Kiambu County Finance Chief Officer and her driver were driving when they were dramatically arrested last week and later charged at Kibera Law Courts for allegedly being in possession of fake US dollars amounting to Sh67,000. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • They were later booked at Capitol Hill Police Station.
  • Ms Njeri was later charged with being found with the fake US dollars.
  • Mr Kung’u was charged with driving a county car which had the wrong number plates.

Details have now emerged of how Kiambu County Finance Chief Officer and her driver were dramatically arrested last week and later charged at Kibera Law Courts for allegedly being in possession of fake US dollars amounting to Sh67,000.

Detectives from the special crimes unit on Wednesday evening arrested Ms Faith Njeri Harrison and her driver, Mr Harrison Kung’u, along Mpaka Road in Nairobi while driving a double cabin car with GK number plates and not county government registration.

They were later booked at Capitol Hill Police Station.

FAKE DOLLARS

Ms Njeri was later charged with being found with the fake US dollars.

Mr Kung’u was charged with driving a county car which had the wrong number plates.

In her statement to the police, a copy of which the Nation has obtained, Ms Njeri had just ended a meeting with the Controller of Budget in Nairobi and proceeded to Bruce House for an official matter and later to Holiday Inn.

While leaving Holiday Inn, Ms Njeri told police she saw a group of armed people who ordered them to stop near MP Shah Hospital and bundled them into two different cars.

In a convoy of about four cars, they were taken to the Nairobi Area Traffic Police headquarters and later to the special crimes unit offices where a search was conducted.

FRAUD OUTCRY

According to police, they found 670 fake US dollars on the car seat and Sh50,000 in Ms Njeri’s handbag but in an inventory prepared by detective Cyrus Keter, Ms Njeri indicated that she knew nothing about the dollars but acknowledged having the Sh50,000.

Detective Wilson Koech, in a sworn affidavit, told the court that the two were arrested “following an outcry from innocent members of public and foreigners of being conned by fraudsters”. He added that the two were spotted visiting various entertainment joints in Parklands.

Mr Koech, who unsuccessfully requested the court to have the two detained for seven days, indicated they recovered 670 pieces of paper resembling US dollars in denominations of 100, Sh50,000 in denominations of 1,000 and county government number plates.

According to the affidavit, Ms Njeri and Mr Kung’u were then escorted to their homes in Thika’s Landless and Ngoingwa estates respectively where searches were done but nothing was found.

The two denied the charges and Ms Njeri was freed on a Sh1 million bond with surety or Sh200,000 cash bail.

Mr Kung’u was released on a Sh200,000 bond with an alternative of Sh20,000 cash bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.