A group of four fraudsters posing as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA) has been arrested after masterminding a scheme that saw one unsuspecting victim lose Ksh251,000.
In a statement on Thursday, October 30, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects, Peter Muriithi, Catherine Kinyua, Lilian Njeri, and Samuel Mbuthia, posed as SHA registration officers and convinced their victim to sign up for a supposed membership program.
According to the DCI, the victim was persuaded to surrender his phone for the registration, unaware that this would become the gateway to his financial loss.
"A daring quartet of con artists masquerading as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA) has been apprehended after swindling a victim of Ksh251,000 in a well-choreographed scam
"The crafty quartet, Peter Muriithi, Catherine Kinyua, Lilian Njeri, and Samuel Mbuthia, were arrested following a complaint from a man who thought he was signing up for a legitimate SHA membership. In a slick move, the fraudsters convinced him to surrender his mobile phone under the pretext of ‘completing the registration process.," the statement read.
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Moments after handing over the phone, the victim realized something was amiss when his device abruptly went off and could not reconnect to the network.
What followed was a nightmare as his savings had been completely drained from his Sacco account.
"Moments later, his world turned upside down. His phone suddenly went off, and attempts to restore service were futile. Sensing trouble, he rushed to his Sacco only to be hit with the devastating news that his account had been wiped clean.
"A total of Ksh251,000 had been siphoned out and transferred to mobile numbers linked to the impostors," the statement added.
Following the complaint, detectives from Marimanti launched a manhunt that led to the capture of all four suspects.
Upon searching the suspects and their vehicle, police discovered evidence, including SHA-branded items and multiple SIM cards, directly linking them to the fraudulent scheme.
"In a swift move, Law Enforcement Officers from Marimanti launched an operation that led to the arrest of the four suspects.
"A meticulous search unearthed a trove of incriminating items, including SHA-branded T-shirts, name tags, membership cards, informational leaflets and multiple SIM cards. A motor vehicle, KDP 267C, Toyota Prado, believed to have been used in their fraudulent operations was impounded. Also recovered is a number plate KDS 399C, raising further suspicion about their activities," the statement further read.
The suspects are currently detained at Marimanti Police Station before their arraignment in court.
This comes a month after DCI detectives arrested a man accused of staging a gunpoint robbery against a charcoal vendor in Mukurweini, Nyeri County, where the trader lost Ksh200,000.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 17, the DCI said the suspect, identified as James Kanyi Gachara, was arrested following a complaint filed by the victim.
"Detectives drawn from the Operations Action Team (OAT) and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) have arrested a robbery-with-violence suspect who staged a gunpoint heist against a charcoal vendor, making away with Ksh200,000 in Mukurweini Sub-County," the statement read.
According to the DCI, the suspect lured the victim with a supposed lucrative deal, ordering 20 sacks of charcoal.
"Preliminary investigations reveal that the vendor, who operates a charcoal business in Mukurweini town, was lured by the suspect under the guise of a lucrative deal. Posing as a customer, Gachara informed him that a friend required 20 sacks of charcoal. Although the trader had insufficient stock, he quickly mobilised his suppliers to meet the demand," the statement added.
However, according to the investigating agency, once the order was ready, the trader was ambushed and robbed the money from his bank account.
"Once the charcoal had been sourced, the unsuspecting vendor was ambushed by a numberless Toyota Prado SUV. The suspect, together with his accomplices, forced the victim into the vehicle, where he was assaulted and coerced at gunpoint to surrender his Equitel account PIN. The gang then withdrew Ksh200,000 from his account," the statement further read.
DCI noted that the ordeal did not end there, the victim was dumped by the roadside after the robbery.
"After the robbery, the victim was pushed out of the SUV and held at gunpoint by a female accomplice before the vehicle sped off towards Mukurweini. Moments later, a red motorcycle picked up the armed woman, disappearing in the same direction, leaving the victim lying helpless on the ground," the statement added.
Forensic intelligence later helped detectives trace and arrest the suspect.
