The mysterious eyewitness, Dennis Muigai Ngengi, who caught the attention of Kenyans by being at the scene of two major incidents has been sentenced to one-and-half years in prison with no option for a fine for impersonating a military officer.
Dennis hit headlines after appearing at the scene of the accident that killed former Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru on November 7, 2017. He narrated Gakuru’s car crash as a first-hand eyewitness where Kenyans on social media linked him to a similar incident weeks earlier in Nakuru.
Dennis at Wahome Gakuru's car crash scene
They identified him as the mysterious dark sunglassed man who gave details of the October 21 Nakuru air crash. Dennis told the press he was a friend and colleague of the pilot of the ill-fated helicopter, Captain Apollo Malowa.
Dennis giving details at the Nakuru air crash scene
It was after netizens questioned who Dennis really was and why he was in two two-high profile accidents that the police started their investigations on him. He was arrested in Ruiru Kiambu County on November 10 as more details about him emerged.
An internal memo to the Director of Criminal Investigations by the principal officer in charge of the criminal registry, Patrick Ndunda, Dennis was a wanted man and had at least eight other pending cases ranging from 1989 to 2009.
All this while Dennis used aliases ranging from Alex Musyoka, Charles Karanja, Francis Karanja Mwaniki, Charles Karanja Mwangi (Cameroon), Francis Maina Theuri, Martin Mutangilu Wambua (Kathoka), Martin Githaiga Gichuhi and Anthony Waweru Gakuya.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that he was arrested in 2014 in Diani where he jumped bail and an arrest warrant was issued against him.
Kwale Resident Magistrate Patrick Wambugu charged Dennis with impersonating a captain of the Kenya Defence Forces in Ukunda, Kwale County in 2015 where he pleaded guilty on Thursday, February 1.
