An active-duty police officer suspected of running an auto-theft ring in Nairobi has on 7th, October 2026 been formally arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts after being netted in a targeted DCI dragnet.
The suspect, Willis Omondi Onduru is facing charges of motor vehicle theft under Section 278(A) of the Penal Code, a felony that carries a seven-year jail term if convicted.
State prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) strongly opposed the suspect’s immediate release, demanding a minimum five-day remand period.
In a sworn affidavit, lead investigator Sergeant David Kung’u stated that releasing the officer poses a severe threat to the case, given Onduru’s insider understanding of police operations, unverified residence, and the fact that key associates in the racket are still on the run.
The case stem from a high-stakes investigation led by Kilimani DCI agents, which reached a climax on October 2, 2026, when Onduru was cornered and handcuffed at Maji House.
The investigations started on August 15, 2026, when rugby fan Phoebe Atieno Otieno lost her light green Toyota Vitz (KBL 732Q) valued at Ksh.655,000 while parked outside the RFUEA grounds along Ngong Road.
After filing an official report at Jamhuri Police Station, Otieno mounted a public campaign across online platforms, which quickly yielded sightings in Utawala.
Though her relatives tracked the car down to Malaa Shopping Centre on Kangundo Road, a mysterious driver managed to speed off before law enforcement arrived.
The big break came a month later when Otieno spotted her missing car listed on Facebook Marketplace.
Despite being repainted white and fitted with fraudulent plates (KBA 625M), she recognized unique custom headlight modifications on the listing.
Acting on the tip, undercover DCI officers staged a bust on September 17, 2026. Setting up a fake purchase via an associate, Edward Karanja Ngugi, detectives lured the seller to Pangani Shopping Centre and ambushed him during a fake test drive, recovering the car alongside a fake logbook and a forged sale agreement dated September 3.
Subsequent forensic analysis of the seized documents and phone records traced the fraud directly to Onduru.
Detective units are now expanding their crackdown to flush out remaining members of the syndicate and analyze the broader paper trail before returning to court with potential additional charges.
