Police identify man behind conning of MPs as 25-year-old former govt employee

Police are looking for a former employee of the Devolution ministry suspected of conning MPs thousands of shillings through fake appeals for assistance.

Police say the suspect has been using a fake M-Pesa account to demand money from MPs and other top officials.

According to police, the suspect registered the fake M-Pesa account using an MP’s name to hoodwink his victims.

Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) George Kinoti said the suspect has been linked to four other cases of fraud.

“He used the ID number of a former MP to register an M-Pesa account in the name of Sabina Wanjiku Chege. He did this in Doonholm and we have all the details,” said Mr Kinoti.

Kinoti said police had been searching for the suspect for the past one week and that all his five mobile phones had been switched off.

Distress messages

Officials handling the matter have also arrested an attendant who registered the number in Doonholm. She is expected in court on Monday.

According to Kinoti, after the suspect registered the number to indicate it belonged to MP Chege he sent distress messages in her name to a number of leaders to raise funds. The messages showed Ms Chege was in hospital and needed money.

At least four MPs and Speaker of National Assembly Justin Muturi fell victim to the trickster and sent money to the number thinking it was Chege who was in need.

Ms Chege recounted before the National Assembly Committee on Security and National Administration how the man impersonated her and sent messages to three CSs and legislators at night.

“Those who sent the money saw that the M-Pesa number had been registered under Sabina Wanjiku Chege. That is why they did not suspect anything. It wasn’t until former MP Jakoyo Midiwo asked me about it the following day that I learnt of it. Many other people had been sent the same message,” Ms Chege said.

Midiwo and three other MPs have also reported the matter to the police.

Speaker Muturi, CSs Eugene Wamalwa, Peter Munya and Margaret Kobia and some senators also fell victim to trickster and sent money.

The committee heard that Mr Muturi lost Sh300, 000 after the suspect sent a distress message supposedly in need of help to buy medication.

Former Migori Senator Wilfred Machage is said to have deposited Sh140,000 to the suspect’s account.

University students

It also emerged that the suspect sent two university students to collect Sh100,000 from Midiwo.

The two students include a nephew of a former MP. They were charged with attempting to obtain money by false pretence.

The two denied the charges before Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi.