A man who police have described as a serial felon has been arrested pending the conclusion of investigations into allegations that he has been personating a gun licensing officer and conning gun holders.
In a statement on Monday, the DCI said the suspect, 42, was arrested over the weekend following a court order issued by Kahawa Law Courts.
The order was issued after intelligence reports placed him at the center of a syndicate that issued fake firearm certificates to non-vetted gun holders.
"Transnational Organized Crime detectives busted him in possession of assorted fake FLB documents and stamps at his Nguluni home in Matungulu, Machakos County," DCI Mohamed Amin said.
He said until his arrest, the suspect was battling another court case of stealing a firearm and was out on a Sh500,000 bond.
This was after he hoodwinked a young man in Kajiado into believing he was an officer from the Firearms Licensing Board (FLB) and was in a position to change his father's gun ownership to him.
The DCI said he led the young man on a wild goose chase and eventually stole the gun from him after subjecting him to a series of endless paperwork.
"Upon his arrest, assorted filled firearm application forms, psychiatrist reports from Mathari Referral Hospital, bearing different names, a seal from the Central Firearms Bureau, various FLB and Armatech Kenya Ltd rubbers stamps, four civilian firearm certificates, forged letters allegedly from the Nairobi region police command and several bank statements were seized," Amin said.
He said the suspect and his accomplices target vulnerable victims by posing as well-connected FLB officers and then issuing them with fake gun ownership certificates.
Amin said as part of their strategy, they periodically renew the fake gun ownership documents at a cost of Sh6,000.
"The DCI appeals to anyone who may have fallen victim to this felony to present themselves to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit offices at DCI Headquarters Block B Room 47," Amin said.
Meanwhile, the suspect who is being held at the Muthaiga Police Station will be presented in court on Friday, March 10 to answer to charges of possession of implements of forgery and making documents without authority.
Investigations are underway to nab his accomplices.