Key suspect in fake M-Pesa account probe held in Tanzania

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti when he appeared before the National Assembly Security Committee at Continental House, Nairobi on Tuesday 20/03/18[Boniface Okendo,Standard]

A man police accuse of being behind fake M-Pesa accounts used to con MPs and other VIPs has been arrested in Tanzania.

He was arrested in Tarime, where he has been hiding for two weeks.

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti said the suspect would be brought to Nairobi to face multiple charges.

He said the man was arrested yesterday, following a week-long intelligence collection and planning exercise involving Kenyan and Tanzanian detectives. He was said to be heading for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“He will be in Nairobi to face various charges. He was arrested as he tried to travel to DRC from Tanzania,” said Mr Kinoti.

The police had visited the 25-year-old's rural home in Kuria and several other places in search of him. 

They want to question him over the registration of a fake M-Pesa account using Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege's name.

Kinoti said the suspect was also 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 Donholm and we have all the details,” said Kinoti.

Officials handling the matter have also arrested an M-Pesa attendant who registered the account.