Four suspects arrested for defrauding man of Sh251,000 in fake SHA registration scheme
The suspects are currently being held at Marimanti Police Station, pending arraignment. Authorities said investigations are ongoing to identify any accomplices and other potential victims who may have fallen prey to similar schemes.
Four suspects posing as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA) have been arrested after allegedly defrauding a victim of Sh251,000 in a well-orchestrated scam.
In a statement, the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects, Peter Muriithi, Catherine Kinyua, Lilian Njeri and Samuel Mbuthia, were apprehended following a complaint from a man who believed he was registering for a legitimate SHA membership.
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"In a slick move, the fraudsters convinced him to surrender his mobile phone under the pretext of 'completing the registration process,' after which Sh251,000 was siphoned from his Sacco account," the DCI noted.
Moments after handing over the phone, the victim’s device went off, and attempts to restore service failed. Alarmed, he quickly checked with his Sacco and discovered that Sh251,000 had been transferred to mobile numbers linked to the suspects.
"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," reads the DCI statement in part.
Authorities said a number plate, KDS 399C, was also recovered, raising further suspicion about the suspects’ activities.
The suspects are currently being held at Marimanti Police Station, pending arraignment. Authorities said investigations are ongoing to identify any accomplices and other potential victims who may have fallen prey to similar schemes.
Members of the public have been urged to exercise caution and verify the identity of anyone claiming to represent government agencies such as the SHA before sharing personal information or making any payments.
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