This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
Garage swindles are a common problem in Kenya, where unscrupulous mechanics take advantage of unsuspecting car owners. In a recent incident, a woman's car was taken to a garage for repairs, but the mechanic, Philip, had other plans.
Philip, who worked at Spear Head Garage, charged the woman exorbitant fees for repairs that were never done. He also refused to return her vehicle until she agreed to pay him. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, was forced to involve her lawyer and the police to recover her property.
The incident highlights the problem of garage swindles in Kenya, where women are often targeted. According to the woman's account, Philip had stored her vehicle and logged it in, amounting to a total bill of Sh25,000 for administrative and storage costs, over the course of five days. No works were carried out on the vehicle.
Philip's actions were not an isolated incident. The woman's lawyer, Djibril, was detained for making a complaint on behalf of his client, and Philip refused to present the company policy documents outlining why she was being charged, and why he retained her vehicle.
The matter further escalated with yet more lawyers arriving to extract their colleague, police to rescue the lawyer held hostage and the woman to collect her vehicle after meeting Philip's demands. He refused to commit to this. Eventually, the woman's and Philip's lawyers came to an agreement where there was no case to compel her to pay for any more alleged costs of 'storage', 'handling' and 'legal' fees to Philip, and she collected her vehicle.
The incident has sparked outrage, with many calling for action to be taken against Spear Head Garage. The garage has a history of court cases and run-ins with the taxman, and many have been swindled by the establishment.
As one Twitter user noted, 'Greed is not a good look, and neither is a destroyed establishment.' The incident serves as a warning to others that dealing with certain garages is a path leading down the river Styx and straight to the gates of Hades.
