Six daring hackers arraigned after stealing over Ksh.3M from victims' bank accounts

Detectives in Nairobi have arrested and arraigned six tech-savvy fraudsters for draining over Ksh.3.2 million from a victim's bank accounts in what authorities describe as a highly coordinated hacking and electronic fraud scheme.

The suspects were nabbed in different locations across Nairobi and arraigned on separate dates.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), three of them — Peter Kariuki Mathii, Isaack Mugo Kanini, and David Nganga Macharia — appeared before the Makadara Law Courts on April 28, while the other three — Fredrick Maina Wairimu, Peter Wandera Ouma, and Hanington Kui Walubengo — were arraigned on Monday, May 5.

The fraudulent operation began when a motorist was caught in traffic along Race Course Road. Two individuals knocked on either side of the victim's vehicle, pretending it was a minor road incident before one of them snatched the complainant’s mobile phone as soon as he rolled down his window.

Sleuths from DCI’s Starehe Sub-County office launched a probe into how the fraudsters siphoned Ksh.3.2 million from the complainant’s two bank accounts by using multiple M-Pesa accounts fraudulently registered.

"From the first account, Ksh.1,892,625 was unlawfully transferred. Ksh.689,500 was funneled into accounts linked to Fredrick Maina Wairimu, Ksh.299,500 to Brian Machani, and Ksh.499,500 to Brian Obaye Kiveu. An additional Ksh.404,125 was rerouted to the victim’s own mobile number and laundered through encrypted M-Pesa accounts," DCI stated.

The second account lost Ksh.1,311,615 where Ksh.299,500 was transferred to Bonface Kirim Baimana, Ksh.299,500 to John Erick Musyoki Kyengo, and Ksh.211,000 to Jambo Pay Trust, while Ksh.501,615 was wired to seven Safaricom mobile lines.

Forensic leads zeroed in on Wairimu, who admitted during interrogation that he had been paid Ksh.1,000 per account to register 11 bank accounts linked to Safaricom numbers at the request of Ouma.

Ouma led detectives to Walubengo, who had allegedly introduced him to the wider syndicate. The trio were arrested and arraigned on April 28, where the court granted detectives 21 days to detain them pending the conclusion of investigations.

Determined to dismantle the criminal network, detectives tracked down Mathii, who was found in a Toyota Voxy in Ruiru alongside his accomplice Kanini. A quick search later linked the two to the syndicate.

“A search of the vehicle revealed assorted Safaricom SIM cards, a SIM card registration device, counterfeit currency resembling U.S. dollars, and multiple ATM cards,” DCI explained.

DCI says further interrogation led them to the alleged ringleader, David Macharia, who had been wanted since 2019 over electronic fraud and hacking offences, adding that a warrant for his arrest had been issued by Milimani Law Courts on January 24, 2019.

“During a search of his navy-blue Subaru registration no. KDB 879M, detectives recovered various account documents, an assortment of mobile phones, and papers resembling U.S. dollars.  A further search of his residence in Zimmerman, along Thika Road, uncovered even more incriminating evidence, including numerous SIM cards, multiple national ID cards, mobile phones, laptops, and additional ATM cards,” DCI noted.

The three, Mathii, Kanini, and Macharia, were arraigned on May 5, with detectives securing 10 days to detain them further as investigations continue.