Gumo records statement over Moi’s stolen car

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“I don’t and did not own the car. Someone wanted to sell it to me but he had not produced all the documents,” he said/CFM

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8 – Cabinet Minister Fred Gumo on Saturday recorded a statement with the police over former President Daniel arap Moi’s stolen car.

Nairobi Deputy PPO Moses Nyakwama said they are investigating how the vehicle was acquired by the Cabinet Minister.

He said the Minister has been asked to come with the documentation of the vehicle including the log book and sale agreements.

Gumo said that he was not aware that the vehicle had been stolen.

He also said he was waiting for the businessman to give him documents which are now required yet he has not secured them.

“I don’t and did not own the car. Someone wanted to sell it to me but he had not produced all the documents,” he said.

On Friday police impounded the green Range Rover when it was checked in for service at the CMC showroom in Nairobi. The vehicle is now at Nairobi area police.

Meanwhile police are looking for a Mombasa business who allegedly sold the car to the Minister.

“I don’t and did not own the car. Someone wanted to sell it to me but he had not produced all the documents,” he said.

The vehicle went missing from the CMC Industrial Area about four years ago.

However, it has been taken to the showroom severally for repairs but CMC staff alleged that it was driven there bearing different registration plates.

According to the Westlands MP, he had returned the vehicle valued at Sh18 million to the businessman but repossessed it after he failed to give him his money.

Though the vehicle on Friday had KBQ 455S registration number, the records indicated that it was a KBJ 124D. CMC Chief Executive Officer Bill Lay explained that the vehicle was taken to the police station after CMC realised it could be the one that was stolen in 2008.

“CMC is announcing that it has impounded a motor vehicle whose details are believed to closely match those of a car that was believed to have gone missing in its workshop in 2008,” Lay said.

Gumo was summoned to CID headquarters, along Kiambu Road where he recorded a statement regarding the car and left an hour later.

Moi ordered for the vehicle and he was waiting to process his ownership when the car went missing in 2008.

His press secretary Lee Njiru said Moi did not own the car since he had not taken possession of it.

JUDIE KABERIA

JUDIE KABERIA

Judie is a Special Projects Reporter. She has eight years experience in Journalism in Kenya and Germany. She has scooped awards in Reproductive Health, Population and Development and Gender and Development. She has participated in international conferences in Germany. She has a soft spot for human rights and justice stories.

  • Daniel Kilimo Sutter

    These cases are rampant in Kenya especially in the big towns where showrooms are engaged in buying, selling and trading-ins of motor vehicles. The NSIS should be keen in investigating the vehicles stolen and others with wrong registration numbers.

  • http://twitter.com/muthicanix2 George Muthicani

    So we should expect Gumbo to be charged for handling stolen goods.

  • Gathii

    The key holder even has an engraved letter ‘M’. Is that Moi’s initial?

  • kanges

    Waoh… how does it fill riding on uncle dans car bwana ngumu???? it must be nice ama? be careful you could soon be riding on Kibaki’s

  • bob

    even though you did not own the car since the ,you are still in possession of stolen property! therefore you should be in police custody “helping ” with investigations au sio?

  • Greenmarshmarrows

    I stolen car. plate number is KBQ but the owner insures it as KBJ. He has no papers. He know that the car is stolen. What does the law say about handling stolen property? Kenya has distinct laws for rich and poor.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kwessi-Pratt/100000996986819 Kwessi Pratt

    There is a hell of drug smell in this car! That somebody purportedly picked it up from CMC’s garage without any authority, and given the status of the original owner, is incredibly unbelievable. It even makes more a movie than mere theft when a minister pretends to have bought such an expensive car without any shred of documents. What was involved to make such high ranking government official to resort to such dubious dealings? Why were the car number plates changed if the deal is as clean as the minister says? Does the minister want to tell us that he was unaware that insurance certificates were obtained using different numbers? And do those numbers belong to another vehicle or were specifically meant for the vehicle in question? Registrar of motor vehicles, CMC, management, Hon. Ngumo and retired president Moi should answer these questions.

    That the background of the businessman involved is well known makes the matter appear more than what meets the eye. Hon. Ngumo in particular should be locked up. His position doesnt allow him to be involved in any unorthodox dealings. He has failed integrity test already! Our laws are seemingly insulting to the poor. Would a poor man found with stolen property be merely allowed to only record a statement with the police? These are the things that are causing our citizens to become hopeless and extremely violent! Where are the civil society fellows who have been up in arms on the ICC matters? Whats impunity of the highest order? This selective approach to national issues is certainly unacceptable? Double standard lacks integrity and lives in the world of utter dishonesty pals!