Photos: 5 Suspects Linked to Theft of M-Pesa Floats Nabbed by DCI Detectives
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
- Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested five people suspected of being behind mobile money fraud.
Source: Facebook
In a statement on Wednesday, May 21, DCI said the arrest follows numerous complaints by M-Pesa shop attendants whose floats have been swept clean through fraudulent tricks.
"Following numerous complaints reported by mobile money shop attendants whose floats have been swept clean through fraudulent tricks by a notorious criminal ring operating across counties, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detectives, jointly with the Operation Action Team, have today rounded up five suspects," DCI said.
The DCI announced the arrest of Geoffrey Kasamani Chula, Stephen Mokaya Nyangoya, Paul Nganga Kariuki, Teresia Muthoni Mwaniki, and Cedela Akoth Oruya.
"Geoffrey Kasamani Chula (resident of Munyaka in Eldoret), Stephen Mokaya Nyangoya (resident of Kitale, Tiwani), Paul Nganga Kariuki of Eldoret-Hawaii, Teresia Muthoni Mwaniki of Eldoret-Kimumu and Cedela Akoth Oruya, holder of Kibosi in Kisumu, were arrested in the ongoing operation that targets a larger group in the web," the DCI stated.
During the operation, a motor vehicle, assorted mobile phones and several SIM cards registered under different names were recovered.
"The motor vehicle registration. No KBW 441J, a make Premio in which they were driving, was also intercepted and detained, wherein several SIM cards registered under different names and assorted mobile phones were also recovered," detectives disclosed.
The five have been detained at the Ruai Police Station, where one of the reports has been filed as investigations continue.
Source: Facebook
In other news, a 26-year-old man, Joseph Momanyi, was arrested for allegedly masterminding a cyber heist that involved stealing KSh 49 million from the JamboPay Client Portal.
He was apprehended on the night of Saturday, April 12, at his home in Kahawa West. During the arrest, detectives recovered several SIM cards registered under different names, multiple mobile phones, and a laptop believed to have been used to carry out the fraud.
According to a report filed at Muthaiga Police Station, investigators said Momanyi accessed the JamboPay portal using legitimate customer profiles linked to KoraPay, Fincra, and the JamboPay Transaction Merchant Account.
Police alleged that the suspect tampered with clients’ details by changing or disabling the phone numbers that received One-Time-Only (OTO) transaction notifications.
With the alerts disabled, Momanyi is said to have quietly transferred KSh 49,095,968 to various Safaricom M-Pesa wallets, M-Pesa Till numbers, and several bank accounts.
The case came to the attention of authorities after Web Tribe Limited, the company behind JamboPay, noticed irregular activity on its system.
Police believe Momanyi did not act alone and had recruited others to provide bank accounts and help facilitate the illegal transfers.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
