Special undercover squad to go after Nairobi's con street preachers

By Collins Kweyu

A special squad will hunt down men and women who pose as preachers to con Nairobians in the streets.

Police created the squad after The Nairobian unmasked an elderly woman believed to be the leader of a group of con preachers operating on Tom Mboya Street and Moi Avenue.

The squad code-named ‘Spiv’ will consist undercover officers, Nairobi police commander Benson Kibui said.

Kibui said the police moved fast to form the squad because cases of Nairobians being conned by fake preachers are on the rise.

“I urge people not to gamble with their cash and valuables by falling to the tricks of these con street preachers,” he said.

He called on city dwellers to immediately report any suspected con artists to the police.

 Last week’s edition of The Nairobian reported the dramatic arrest of a suspected con woman, believed to be in her 50s, after one of her supposed victims spotted her at Kencom bus stop. 

Christine Wabwoba, who alleges she had been conned of Sh50,000 by three elderly women on April 20, had reported the incident at Central police station.

Wabwoba, however, withdrew her complaint after the suspected con preacher refunded her the cash following her arrest.