DCI accuses suspect of "Leaving single ladies heartbroken and desolate"

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has arrested a suspect accused of taking advantage of lonely single women and stealing from them.

Wycliffe Amakobe Omunga was arrested by detectives on Saturday after allegedly conning his latest victim of Sh780,050.

“After being swept off their feet, the lovestruck women are duped into starting businesses with the con who then disappears with their entire savings leaving them heartbroken and desolate,” read a statement from DCI.

The victim claimed she was tricked into a love affair with the man, who later advised her that they should jointly start a water refilling business.

Oblivious of his intentions, the woman gave him the money to start it and that marked the beginning of her woes.

What started as a blossoming love story and a joint retirement venture ended in premium tears.

“The relationship immediately crumbled like a house of cards after the man disappeared with the entire amount,” the statement continued.

Efforts by the woman to reach her newfound love hit a dead end after his phone went off and her messages were left unanswered.

Later the woman managed to track and confront the man but he claimed that the business had been taken over by an insurance company, for failing to pay an unspecified debt.

“The suspect is currently in custody & shall be arraigned on charges of obtaining money by false pretences.

“Further, we are calling upon any other victims who may have fallen to the suspect’s trap to report the matter at DCI HQs Serious Crime Unit for action,” the DCI concluded.

Pension scams

There has been a rise in the number of pensioners who have reported being conned out of their lifesavings.

In July, detectives arrested a gang accused of targeting teachers who are about to retire and rob them.

The fraudsters working with rogue officials from the pensions department target teachers due to retire and cajole them with promises of fast tracking their pension at a fee. In the end, the teachers lose their entire pension and savings.

One of the gang’s victims lost Sh 700,000 after he was approached by one of the conmen and was enticed into taking a loan from the Nairobi-based shylock.

Unbeknownst to the retiree, the scammers took his personal details and used them to open an account bearing his name at a bank in Webuye.

The details were then shared with the rogue officials at the pension department who processed his pension and wired it to the account. However, the money was immediately reverted to an account operated from Nairobi, where it was withdrawn. The retiree died shortly thereafter.