14 Arrested, 25 Phones Recovered as Police Bust Fake Bus Ticket Scam
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Fourteen suspects have been arrested in Nakuru over alleged cybercrime activities targeting unsuspecting travellers through fake online bus ticket platforms.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 19, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects were apprehended during a joint operation involving detectives from the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit (BFIU) and officers from Nakuru Police Station.
"The raid unfolded in the Pangani area of Nakuru township, where the suspects were found in a room in the midst of their illicit online scamming operations," the statement read.
According to the DCI, police recovered 25 mobile phones, 16 SIM card plates and 10 SIM cards during the raid.
"Investigations revealed that the suspects had created fake websites, including Zain Coach, Harmain Coach, and Habesh Coach, which they use to scam unsuspecting travellers into a trap.
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"With the allure of easy online bus ticket purchases, many were left devastated, their hard-earned cash disappearing without a trace," the statement added.
The suspects were subsequently taken into police custody as investigations into the alleged cybercrime network continued.
"The 14 suspects now find themselves behind bars, undergoing processing pending arraignment. Meanwhile, the seized items have been secured as exhibits in the ongoing investigation," the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, detectives from the Land Fraud Investigation Unit (LFIU) have arrested a mother and her daughter over an alleged land fraud scheme involving family property valued at approximately Ksh40 million.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 19, the DCI said Mary Muthoni Njogu and her daughter, Veronica Wambui Ng’ang’a, were arrested on Tuesday, August 18, following investigations into the alleged fraudulent transfer of family land in Karatina.
"The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by a family member acting on behalf of his siblings, alleging that the two suspects had deceitfully transferred valuable parcels of family land in Karatina, estimated at approximately Ksh40 million, into their own names and those of associated companies," the statement read.
The DCI said the investigations established that the alleged transfers were carried out secretly over a three-year period, with other family members deliberately excluded from the transactions.
"Through meticulous investigations, it was uncovered that the suspects executed secret transfers from 2020 to 2023, deliberately excluding other family members from the transactions," the statement added.
According to the DCI, following the completion of the investigations, detectives forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review and directions on the appropriate charges against the suspects.
"Upon conclusion of the investigation, the case file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), which, upon review, directed that the suspects be charged with Conspiracy to Defraud and Fraudulent Procurement of Title," the statement further read.
Reporting originally appeared via Nairobi Leo. Read the full source for additional context.