Over a year ago, a Mercedes-Benz dealership employee reportedly got into a customer’s loaner car to show him how some of its features worked. She later told deputies that he drove away with her inside and ignored her requests to turn around.
According to the original FOX 5 Atlanta report, the May 2, 2025, incident led to kidnapping, false imprisonment and obstruction charges. However, the case ended very differently when it went to trial about a year later.
A Forsyth County jury listened to four days of evidence before finding Barinuadum Bariyiga not guilty of kidnapping and false imprisonment. Prosecutors dismissed the obstruction charge before jurors began hearing the case.
By then, Bariyiga had already spent most of the time since his arrest in custody. According to his attorney, he was behind bars for about a year while awaiting trial.
The Employee Said the Drive Lasted About 40 Minutes
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The incident occurred at RBM of Atlanta, a Mercedes-Benz dealership near Alpharetta. The 26-year-old service adviser got into the car after the customer asked for help with its features.
She told deputies that he left the dealership and drove toward North Point Mall. During the drive, she said he asked questions about her relationships, appearance and personal life.
The employee also said he used her phone to call his own number so he would have her contact information. According to the police report, she was in the car from approximately 11:08 a.m. until 11:51 a.m.
The Car’s Location Records Became Part of the Investigation
On the way back, the employee said the driver missed several turns suggested by the GPS. She also said he passed the dealership entrance twice before eventually pulling in.
Atlanta News First reported that a deputy checked the car’s location records and believed they matched what the employee had described. The employee returned to the dealership without any physical injuries. While deputies were still gathering information, Bariyiga returned to the service area and tried to leave with his child.
Deputies said he pulled away while they were trying to detain him. They arrested him after a brief struggle.
The Jury Found Him Not Guilty
Bariyiga’s trial began on Aug. 24, 2026. The obstruction charge was dismissed that morning, while the kidnapping and false imprisonment charges went before the jury.
On Aug. 27, jurors found him not guilty on both counts. His attorney, Andrew J. “AJ” Richman, later wrote about the acquittal on his legal blog. “Don’t judge anyone until you can hear all the facts. Thank God this country has the right to a trial by jury,” Richman wrote.
The defense has not made the evidence and testimony public. Following the verdict, Bariyiga left the Forsyth County Courthouse with Richman and a paralegal from the law firm.