Airtel impostors in Ksh.1M fraud saga charged

Airtel impostors in Ksh.1M fraud saga charged

Four people were on Tuesday arraigned in a Machakos court for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting locals of over Ksh.1.3 million by pretending to be Airtel mobile network employees.

The four suspects; John Kyalo, Joseph Mutuku, Fredrick Muendo and Meshack Kioko, pleaded not guilty before Machakos Deputy Registrar Nelly Kenei.

The prosecution observed that, on separate occasions between the months of August and September 2018 and while in the company of six others, they defrauded Philip Mwangangi (Ksh.287,500), Gideon Kavuu (Ksh.685,000) and Jackson Mutisya (Ksh.3,875,000.)

The accused were released on a cash bond of Ksh.100, 000 or surety of a similar amount awaiting pre-trial mention on September 24, 2018.

Detectives from the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Machakos also stated that they were in pursuit of the six remaining suspects who are currently on the run over the fraud saga.

Machakos DCI boss Rhoda Gichama urged members of the public to beware of the fraud cartel posing as Airtel employees pretending to lease land for erecting mobile network transmitters.

“They have confessed that they operate in a group of ten and we are pursuing them. They have defrauded over 20 people in Machakos County between Ksh.50,000 and Ksh.1 million,” said Gichama.

Tags:

Airtel mobile network Impostors Machakos court Machakos DCI  Rhoda Gichama

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