Narc Kenya MCA aspirant arrested over suspected M-Pesa fraud
Mr Benson Thuranira at the Nakuru Police Station on May, 26, 2022. He is suspected of conning an MPesa agent Sh 64,000
A Narc Kenya MCA candidate for the Muthara ward in Meru County has been arrested for allegedly defrauding an M-Pesa shop in Nakuru County.
Benson Thuranira Kathiai was among three people arrested in a police operation after a report was made over the loss of Sh64,000 from the agent, said Rift Valley Regional Director of Criminal Investigations Meme Mwenda.
The two other suspects are Michael Andai, 18, alias Mike, and Shadrack Otieno, 24, alias Shida. They are believed to be members of the outlawed criminal gang called Confirm that is involved in mobile money fraud with bases in Nakuru’s Kivumbini, Rhonda and Flamingo wards.
The gang is also believed to be behind a spate of criminal activities, including robbery, phone snatching, mugging and violent attacks in slum areas.
The DCI boss said Mr Kathiai has similar cases in other parts of the county.
He is a graduate of Mount Kenya University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Mr Mwenda told the Nation that the suspect entered the M-Pesa shop and asked the agent to deposit Sh64,000.
But he manipulated his phone so that it could not reflect the confirmation message and demanded his money back.
“The agent, upon checking her balance, realised that the money had already been sent. She raised the alarm and our officers traced the suspect before arresting him,” he said.
Detectives said the suspect has two similar cases in Shauri Moyo Nairobi and Busia, where he conned a woman of 60 bags of groundnuts and Sh60,000.
In Meru, he allegedly conned a businesswoman of Sh120,000 and defrauded other people in Mwea and Mombasa.
The detectives said the suspect told them he was looking for money to fund his campaigns.
He will be arraigned on Friday.
