Safaricom staff, JKUAT student arrested over multi-million sim card fraud

janet ndila

July 21, 2018 10:36 AM

New wave of crime hits Kenya as gangs remotely swap sim cards and transfer funds from the accounts of their victims

Two men, including a Safaricom employee have been arrested in connection with the recent sim card swapping scan that has seen subscribers lose money millions of cash in their accounts to fraudsters.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) moved in with speed and arrested Maurice Musoti (an employee at Safaricom) and Rian Obaga Nyagaka-a fourth year student at JKUAT pursuing BSc Electronic Engineering.

The two are believed to be part of a group of frausters who remotely swap sim card before transferring funds from the Mpesa accounts of their victims.

An assortments of gadgets believed to be used in the criminal operations was also recovered during the operation.

Part of the items found in their possession included an Apple laptop; 2,160 unused Safaricom SIM cards, 44 used Safaricom SIM cards, and five Agent Till numbers.

Police also recovered 3 Mpesa record books, a router, two mobile phones - a blackberry and Samsung J7.

The arrest which were made on Friday is the latest development as police narrow down on the fraudsters.

Investigations are still underway and the two are expected to be presented in court to answer to charges of fraud.

janet ndila