Man arrested for conning Kenyans using Vihiga Governor Otichillos name

Police have arrested a man who has been conning unsuspecting Kenyans on social media by impersonating Vihiga Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo.

Ambrose Muli Mutinda, who was arrested on Monday in Masii, Machakos County, has been defrauding vulnerable online users by purporting to offer loans dubbed ”OTTICHILO LOANS.”

The suspect was arrested a few minutes after withdrawing money from an M-Pesa shop in Masii.

Mutinda, who claimed to be a water vendor, admitted to conning Kenyans using names of various Governors.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Vihiga Sub-county have been tracing the suspect for months before he was nabbed by their counterparts from from Masii Police Station.

Unsuspecting Kenyans were sending between Ksh.300-Ksh.400 to the suspect with expectation of getting a loan.

Mutinda, who is detained at Vihiga Police Station, was found in possession of four mobile phones and five sim cards at the time of the arrest.

Governor Otichillo, in a statement issued by the County Director of Communications Victor Wetende, urged the public to report any suspicious information claimed to be from the County Government.

“The County Government of Vihiga treats cases of exploitation, extortion and manipulation with a lot of seriousness. We therefore urge members of the public to report any suspicious social media accounts, which could be impersonating, demeaning or defaming His Excellency the Governor or the County Government of Vihiga,” said Wetende in a statement.

The suspect is set to be arraigned on Wednesday.