Detectives have arrested and charged two university students accused of running fake social media accounts impersonating senior government officials.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 14, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Tony Blair Okello and his accomplice Tyson Odhiambo Otieno ran the accounts in a plot to defraud unsuspecting Kenyans.
The two were arraigned at the Kahawa Law Courts following their arrest in Bungoma County.
"Varsity student Tony Blair Okello and his accomplice Tyson Odhiambo Otieno were arrested at Tuuti and Namachanja areas of Bungoma county respectively.
"By opening fictitious accounts through which unsuspecting victims were defrauded, investigators found the two in contravention of Section 28 of the Computer Misuse Act (offense of cyber squatting), and Section 393 of the penal code (conspiracy to commit a felony)," the statement read.
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According to the DCI, investigation showed that Tyson has been operating a network of fake social media accounts that he sells to other individuals after training them on how to scam victims online.
"The investigation established that Tyson, a tech savvy, has been opening such numerous accounts, which he then sells to other persons after training them on how to run the scamming venture.
"In the case presented in court, Tony Blair is one such student of Tyson, who has been personating the PS Interior, Dr. Raymond Omollo," the statement added.
With the case scheduled for mention on Monday, April 28, the suspects were released on a cash bail of Ksh35,000 each.
This comes months after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested a man impersonating the Personal Assistant to the County Secretary of Nairobi City County.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 25, the commission said William Otieno Okoth solicited a bribe of Ksh 100,000 from the complainant seeking a job opportunity for his wife.
According to EACC, Okoth claimed that the payment would enable him to assist the complainant's wife secure a job as a cleaner in the County Government.
The commission said the suspect deceived the complainant into believing that, as the "PA to the CS," he had influence over County affairs and would arrange for the issuance of an employment letter in exchange for the bribe.
Following this encounter, the complainant reported the matter to EACC which conducted an operation that culminated in the suspect's arrest.
