End of the road for magistrate’s fake boyfriend

Since 2020, a 29-year-old man has been claiming to be the boyfriend of Kilifi Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike.

And by falsely claiming to be the man in the court official’s life, Cryspinus Malenya Inyama, a caretaker in one of the private schools in Kiamaiko, Kariobangi, Nairobi, is suspected to have made a fortune of an unknown amount. 

What has been confirmed by the court, however, is that he has been cybersquatting using a fake identity and has gained financially and received other favours for three years.

The man from Khayega sub-Location in Kakamega County appeared before Kilifi Senior Resident Magistrate Daniel Sitati on Tuesday where he was accused of soliciting money from Wasike’s colleagues, friends, and relatives, by using a Safaricom line formerly used by the magistrate.  

According to the charge sheet, between December 27, 2023, and January 8, 2024, Inyama falsely represented himself to Dr Vincent Chokaa, an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, as Ivy Wasike. He was also charged with defrauding Dr Chokaa.

Reported the matter 

The case started after the magistrate reported the matter to Kilifi Police Station OB/31/09/01/2024.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Kilifi arrested Inyama on January 15 in Nairobi and presented him to the Kilifi court where they were granted 14 days to conclude investigations.

Pleaded guilty

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty, and is set to appear in court on February 13 for sentencing.

In her affidavit, Wasike said she reported the matter to Safaricom customer care three times in vain, forcing her to take legal action.

At the time of his arrest, Inyama had just received Sh2,000 from Dr Chokaa after he asked him for “Christmas” in a WhatsApp message.

According to the magistrate, she acquired the Safaricom line between 2010 and 2011 and was duly registered in her name.

She said she used the line until early 2020 when she realized that the same number was being used by someone else.

The magistrate said the suspect took advantage of the number to solicit funds from members of the public known to her.

“I didn’t understand or comprehend how that number was reissued and despite contacting Safaricom customer care, I got no support and I had to do away with it,” she said.

“I was informed by the Safaricom customer representative that the said line was re-issued to another subscriber and that I should call my contacts informing them that I no longer use the number”.

In the police report, Wasike said her callers kept asking her through my new number why my boyfriend or husband kept receiving my calls and asking weird questions.

Lunch money

Others said the fake boyfriend asked them for favors, such as “lunch money”, “money for weekend” and “some money”.

The court was informed that Inyama managed to obtain a list of contacts saved in her previous line and communicated with them through WhatsApp chats and call, claiming to be the magistrate’s fiancé.

“This created a negative image and perception about me and my colleagues and judges since whenever we met for official or social gatherings, they kept asking me about the type of man in my life, and how he carried himself,” she said.