Duke Nyairo, a lawyer, almost lost his Ksh1.8 million BMW 1 series to a con broker who had promised to sell his car to a customer at Nyamakima.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Nyairo revealed that his troubles started on Thursday, July 3, when he revealed his intention to sell his car.
He was approached by a well-known car broker who promised that he could sell the car for Ksh2 million, Ksh200,000 more than what the owner was asking for.
Nyairo set conditions that the car would remain at a showroom for the entire period until he received the asking price.
“The broker started telling me that the buyer had a problem with financing. I told him that I needed a Ksh300,000 deposit and the remaining amount be wired later in the day,” the lawyer told Kenyans.co.ke.
How the con played out
After leaving the showroom, the broker immediately went back and convinced the director to release the car.
“I had taken out the number plates as a precaution. He lied to the director that I had sanctioned the release so that the car could be taken to a mechanic,” Nyairo narrated.
The broker did not alert the owner that he had taken the car. He started taking Nyairo in circles at one time claiming that the potential buyer had changed colour preference.
Reading mischief, the lawyer demanded immediate payment of the deposit or cancellation of the whole deal.
In what appeared as buying more time, the broker deposited Ksh100,000 on Thursday night to Nyairo with the promise to pay the rest on the following day.
“He started giving excuses that he had exhausted his transaction limit and hence he could not wire the whole Ksh300,000,” Nyairo remarked.
On Friday, August 4, the con dealer played a similar move and wired another Ksh100,000.
After he realized that he was on the verge of losing his car, the lawyer demanded that the transaction be completed on Monday.
“He immediately deposited another Ksh48,000. That is when it hit me that the guy was a crook. I immediately called the showroom and was told the car had been taken from the yard the same day,” Nyairo stated.
Nabbing the conman
Nyairo immediately contacted police officers after it emerged that the broker had run away with his car.
Knowing that matters had been escalated, the broker switched off his phone and cut communication altogether.
Police officers were able to pin his location at Manyani in Taita Taveta County. He was also located on that day at Kibwezi in Makueni County.
Fearing that he would never see his motor vehicle again, Nyairo posted details of the conman on the X platform.
“Immediately I posted, many Kenyans messaged me telling me they had seen the car in Nairobi. I also got plenty of messages on how the broker had defrauded car sellers before,” Nyairo explained.
Realising the net was quickly closing on him, the con broker called Nyairo and explained that the car was dumped at Ruaka Town with the key behind the wheel.
“I quickly rushed to the scene. I found the car as promised. I immediately contacted police officers who took it to the station pending investigations,” he narrated how he was able to get his car back.
Reflections
Nyairo feels that there was a possibility that his car was driven to Mombasa and back as it had clocked 1,400 kilometres.
The lawyer whose X username is Duke Laston has warned car sellers to avoid the broker as many people have raised complaints of being defrauded by him.
On what next, he sighs, “I am still holding the deposit as I wait for police officers to finish investigations and make recommendations.”
