A man has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to charges of impersonating a police office and obtaining money by false pretenses.
Bernard Mwaura was charged that on 28th December 2018 at Central Police compound in Nairobi, with intent to defraud/deceive, falsely presented himself as a police officer from the said station to Ephantus Mwangi Muriithi.
In another charge, Mwaura was charged with obtaining Sh 5,000 from Muriithi by falsely by falsely pretending that he was in a position to release his motor vehicle which had been detained by police after an injury accident.
The two met when the complainant had visited the station to follow up on his car.
The accused introduced himself to Muriithi as inspector Muriuki from the Central traffic department and was willing to assist him to get his vehicle released.
Mwaura demanded Sh 5,000 from him. He was also given the original cash bail receipt plus a copy f the intended prosecution.
Afterwards, the accused person disappeared until 4th January 2019 when the complainant sighted him within the station compound. He raised an alarm and Mwaura was arrested.
Upon interrogation, he confessed having committed the offences and surrendered the receipts.
Mwaura, 48, from Kiserian pleaded guilty before Principal Magistrate Kenneth Cheruiyot.
In mitigation, he pleaded for leniency adding that he is a single parent and had left the children with a neighbor upon his arrest.
The Magistrate sentenced him to one year in prison for impersonation and six months on the count of obtaining money.
The sentences will run concurrently.
