The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have arrested three suspects in an ongoing crackdown targeting a racket operating parody social media accounts using pseudo names impersonating members of the first family and other senior government officials.
The office of the DCI Mohamed Amin has also cautioned members of the public to be wary of fraudsters fleecing money from unsuspecting targets running into millions of shillings.
One of the suspects aged 25 is a Kirinyga University graduate identified as Dennis Kimaru, Michael Wekesa aged 19 from Bungoma and his alleged accomplice nineteen-year-old Isaac Oduor.
Wekesa was arrested in Sirisia after he opened a Facebook account purporting to be an employee in the Office of the First Lady Rachel Ruto.
He thereafter posed as a loans officer who would influence issuance of quick loans went ahead to obtain thousands from desperate Kenyans who approached him for assistance.
In a well calculated scheme, the suspect promised interest free loans from the esteemed First Lady’s Office but requested for a small deposit as ‘facilitation fees’ to expedite the process.
Unsuspecting Kenyans who fall into the trap of the daring scammers sent money to a provided Mpesa account which was then transferred to a till number under the suspect’s name.
“It is only after their calls went unanswered afterwards, that reality dawned on them that they had become the latest victims of fraud from tech savvy teenagers taking advantage of gullible Kenyans online. Also arrested in the dubious scheme was the main suspect’s accomplice Isaac Ouduor, 19, who operated a ‘call center’ that received calls from would be beneficiaries, before they were escalated to the ‘loans officer’ for action. Three mobile phones used in the transactions were seized from the suspect.” The DCI’s office said.
Kimaru, a bachelor of Commerce graduate who operates Mzalendo Kimaru (jeshii), Mzalendo Kym Korir and Obuntu Family Facebook accounts was tracked down and arrested.
According to police investigations, Kimaru was also operating operates accounts bearing similar names on Twitter and Instagram had opened a social media account in the name of the Head of State’s aide-de-camp Col Fabian Lengusuranga.
“Should you have any information that you would wish to share with us anonymously please dial #FichuakwaDCI 0800 722 203.” The DCI office added.