Nairobi: Valley Road Motors Denies Stealing KSh 4.1m Mercedes Benz, Blames Middleman

• Valley Road Motors proprietor Francis Mundia Ng'ang'a dismissed claims that he and his son stole a high-end Mercedes-Benz
• Ng’ang’a said the car was purchased by them for KSh 4.1 million through a broker named Robert Bundi, who acted on behalf of the original owner
• The dealer insisted they were unaware of any legal summonses and only learned about the alleged theft and arrest warrant through social media and client calls

TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya

Trouble sped into Nairobi’s luxury car market, drawing a respected dealership into the spotlight.

Valley Road Motors boss Francis Mundia Ng’ang’a denied allegations that he and his son had stolen a high-end vehicle, insisting they had purchased it in good faith.

Ng’ang’a, speaking to journalists on Wednesday, May 28, said the vehicle in question, a red Mercedes-Benz E350, was lawfully purchased from a middleman identified as Robert Bundi.

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The sale, he said, was conducted at their office located in the Valley Road Bazaar in Nairobi.

“The transaction was done here, where we had an agreement and paid a total of KSh 4.1 million to Bundi,” Ng’ang’a explained.

According to Ng’ang’a, Bundi was acting on behalf of the car’s alleged owner, Andrew Kiare.

A sale agreement seen by TUKO.co.ke confirmed that the transaction took place on March 20, between Ultra East Africa Trading (the seller) and Valley Road Motors LTD (the buyer).

The document was signed by one Shadrack Sawe on behalf of the seller, but the buyer’s section was left unsigned, and Bundi's name or signature was notably absent, indicating his role as a broker working for a commission.

Ng’ang’a stressed that they conducted thorough due diligence before completing the transaction.

This included verifying the car’s ownership, which was confirmed before transferring the payment to Bundi’s account.

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Was a warrant of arrest issued against Ng'ang'a?

However, a dispute over the ownership arose nearly two months later, prompting a court case.

Matters escalated when reports emerged that a Makadara court had issued warrants of arrest for Ng’ang’a, his son Brandon, and Bundi over claims they failed to appear in court for plea taking.

But the Ng’ang’as deny ever being summoned.

“We were never issued with any summons to record statements or appear in court. We only learned about this case from social media and calls from friends and clients,” the Valley Motors proprietor said.

He termed the online allegations as malicious and aimed at damaging the reputation of his business, which has operated for years without controversy.

To prevent a prolonged legal fight, Ng’ang’a said they had voluntarily returned the vehicle to its rightful owner after discovering Bundi may not have been forthright in the deal.

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According to records from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the vehicle is registered to Peter Munene Njoroge, not Andrew Kiare.

Bundi, the broker at the centre of the controversy, has a history of questionable dealings.

On April 15, he was arrested for allegedly stealing a KSh 33 million luxury Range Rover from Adeel Rashid Mohamed.

In that incident, Bundi reportedly tricked a representative from a car yard along Ngong Road by claiming he had a prospective buyer, then disappeared with the vehicle during an inspection.

Ng’ang’a urged the authorities to investigate Bundi thoroughly, insisting that his company had acted in good faith throughout the entire transaction.

Khalif Kairo arrested over car fraud claim

In a related story previously covered by TUKO.co.ke, flamboyant second-hand car dealer Khalif Kairo was arrested following car fraud allegations.

A viral video showed him in handcuffs, calm and suited, as police officers led him away. Authorities said his arrest adds to several other ongoing fraud cases linked to similar vehicle transactions.

Kairo had been accused of defrauding clients of millions through his company, Kai and Karo Limited.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke