Court detains two suspects in Ksh.17.5M SIM swap fraud probe

Cyrus Mochache Bosire and Ronald Langat appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Gethi Kibiru following their arrest in Utawala on October 2.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had sought orders to hold the two suspects for 15 days at Gigiri Police Station to allow detectives to complete investigations.

The court, however, granted investigators five days.

Bosire and Langat are being investigated over several alleged offences, including theft, forgery, personation, computer fraud, unauthorised access to personal data and fraudulent use of electronic information.

According to police, the investigation centres on an alleged criminal network that obtains control of mobile phone numbers belonging to Kenyan and foreign nationals through fraudulent SIM replacements before using them to access financial accounts.

One of the cases under investigation involves Dorice Achieng Omolo, who travelled to London on September 10, the same day police allege her Safaricom line was fraudulently replaced.

Investigators claim the perpetrators subsequently accessed her UN DT Sacco account and withdrew Ksh.7,505,705.

Police further allege that a Ksh.10 million loan was fraudulently obtained from the Sacco before the money was transferred through several M-Pesa and bank accounts.

Detectives told the court that part of the suspected proceeds has since been traced to accounts allegedly linked to the two suspects.

The investigation has also expanded to establish whether travellers' personal information may have been accessed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Police suspect that individuals with access to travellers' information may have supplied personal details to members of the alleged syndicate.

Detectives are also investigating a Mazda CX-5, registration number KDR 293F, which they say was captured on CCTV footage at Two Rivers Mall around the time Omolo's mobile line was allegedly swapped.

Police have sought records from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to establish the vehicle's registered owner and determine whether it is connected to the alleged scheme.

According to court documents, officers recovered mobile phones from the suspects which allegedly contained messages relating to withdrawals from Omolo's Sacco account.

The devices are yet to undergo forensic examination by DCI cybercrime investigators.

Detectives also recovered 13 Kenyan identity cards and five airline tickets from the suspects.

Investigators said the documents will be verified to establish their owners and determine whether they were obtained or used in connection with the alleged offences.

Police are also awaiting forensic analysis of CCTV footage from Two Rivers Mall as they seek to reconstruct the movements of people suspected of involvement in the alleged transactions.

The DCI told the court that investigators still need to interview more than 15 witnesses and victims, analyse electronic devices and financial transactions, trace the suspected proceeds and identify other people believed to have participated in the scheme.

Detectives opposed the suspects' release, arguing that they could interfere with witnesses, contact suspected accomplices or conceal or destroy evidence.

Police further told the court that several people believed to be connected to the alleged network are yet to be arrested.

The DCI described the probe as complex, involving several complainants, financial institutions, mobile network operators and large volumes of electronic and financial data.