Police tipped by a businessman who lost Sh400, 000 a fortnight ago

By PHILIP MUASYA

MWINGI, KENYA: Administration Police Officers in Mwingi Central on Friday crushed a cartel of conmen who have defrauded local business people millions of shillings with promises of doubling their money.

The AP officers arrested two men at Karung’a area of Mwingi Central District and confiscated Sh3 million in 1000 denomination of fake currency. Area AP boss Ali Hussein said his officers were tipped by a businessman in Mwingi town who only two weeks ago lost Sh400, 000 to the alleged crooks after they promised to double his money.

Ali said the businessman who trades in cereals handed the suspects, who are believed to be from Nairobi, Sh400, 000 and in turn they gave him Sh800, 000 only to realise later that the money was fake. The trader then decided to work with the administration police to nail the suspects.

He told them that he needed another Sh1 million doubled and when they fell for the trap he called police. “We rushed to his home where we found the men busy cutting special papers and dipping them in chemicals to make money as their client watched,” said a junior officer involved in the operation.

The suspects and the fake currency were handed over to Mwingi CID police. Among the items recovered were chemicals, an iron box thought to be used for drying the fake currency and mobile phones.

Mwingi DCIO Joshua Cheptoo who is handling the matter said the fake currency had remarkable semblance with genuine notes and urged the local residents to be extra vigilant. He blamed local businessmen for being gullible and abetting the crime.

“There is no individual authorised to print money so people should not be cheated so easily. We may consider preferring charges to those who have been conned because they also abet the crime,” Cheptoo said.

He noted that several business people have recorded statements with the police after being swindled by the gang. Among them is a businesswoman who operates a popular petro station in Mwingi town who lost Sh1.5 million a week ago.