Online writers or Crypto scammers? How Frank Obegi and his 'boys' met their deaths
From left: Elijah Omeka, Moses Nyachae, Fred Obare and Frank Obegi who mysteriously disappeared before their bodies were later found.
In the movie “The Good liar”, Roy Courtenay, a British con artist who lives large and has it all, alongside his friend Vincent, uses false identities to deceive people into giving him access to their finances.
He makes money from Ms Betty McLeish just a year after she lost her husband. In the end Roy is fought, becomes paralysed and dies.
Just like in the movie, Frank Obegi, Elijah Omeka, Fred Obare and Moses Nyachae — who mysteriously disappeared before their bodies were found in Kijabe Forest and Magadi — led a lavish lifestyle but everything about their riches was questionable.
Frank Obegi who was found dead in Kijabe, Kiambu County.
When the bodies of Obegi, Omeka and Nyachae were found in Kijabe Forest, Mr Adamson Furaha, the police boss in Lari, said that they were in bad shape, having been badly mutilated.
“One of them had been partially eaten by wild animals. Their private parts had been cut off and it seems they died through strangulation. They had no identification documents and were naked,” he said.
Always in the house
Obare who lived in Sunton area, Kasarani, is well known in entertainment spots in the area.
To neighbours, he was the guy who did academic writing. This is also what his parents say.
“He was always in the house and rarely came out. At times he would come in top-of-the-range cars. We are also shocked that his life could end in such a manner,” said a neighbour.
Fred Obare who was found murdered and his body dumped in Magadi, Kajiado County.
It has emerged that Obare was arrested last year after he conned a man of his money through cryptocurrency deals. He was taken to Kasarani Police station and later picked up by detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Ruiru police station.
“When he was brought here (Ruiru Police Station) both parties agreed to solve the matter out of court and we decided to let it go,” a detective privy to the matter said.
Finished paying debt
A family source Tuesday evening told the Nation that Obare finished paying the debt in May 2021, and made peace with the complainant.
Obare was last seen on Thursday, June 16, by his wife, Ms Stephanie Mburu, when he received a call from a woman only identified as Maureen, who is said to be Omeka’s wife, to join her at Kasarani Police station. They were going there to report Omeka’s disappearance.
It remains unclear why Maureen decided to make a report at Kasarani Police Station near where Obare lived, which is some 20 kilometres away from Kamakis on the Eastern by-pass where she and Omeka lived.
That was on Thursday at 2pm, and according to the family, Obare’s phone was switched off near the police station.
Moses Nyachae. His body was found in Kijabe Forest.
Yet to be summoned
The Daily Nation has established that the woman is yet to be summoned to shed more light on what might have transpired.
Obare’s family has been searching for him since Thursday. On Friday, the family was at Kasarani police station demanding to be told where he had disappeared to.
“My brother disappeared after he turned up at Kasarani Police Station to record a statement over his friend Omeka's disappearance. His phone was switched off at 2pm and that is the last time we heard from him until Monday when police informed us that his body had been found at City Mortuary,” said Mr Finley Mokaya, his brother.
Found in Magadi
Records at the City mortuary indicate that Obare’s body was taken there in a Kiserian Police Station vehicle after being found in Magadi.
On Facebook, his relatives had asked anyone who might have information that could assist them get him to speak out.
His two sisters, Jeannette Mokaya and Kerubo Mokaya, mourned their brother.
“They did not know how my ever smiling, polite brother was precious to us. Your killers will never know peace. You were too polite to die such a painful death. Visit them everywhere they go. Torment them brother, until they come out to confess. Rest easy my living brother,” said Ms Kerubo.
On Twitter, Frank Obegi was a well-known influencer. He became the talk of town in 2016 after some people accused him of plagiarising work and posting it as his own. Kenyans on Twitter further joked that his plagiarism was going overboard and he should be arrested.
Elijah Omeka who was found murdered in Kijabe Forest on June 19, 2022 and his private parts amputated.
Trending on Twitter
By the time of going to press Tuesday, Obegi’s name was trending on Twitter.
He led a lavish lifestyle that he showed off on his social media accounts.
The Daily Nation has established that Obegi’s social media accounts – on Facebook, where he was known as Frank Obegi, and on Twitter where he was known as Utanisho? @Frankobegi – were pulled down moments after he was last seen alive.
“Each year you pass your death anniversary date without knowing it and someday you will unknowingly pose for a photo that will be used at your funeral,” reads a quote on both his accounts.
On Twitter, his pinned post, done on May 3, reads: “One day we will leave this world behind. So, live the life you will remember.”
‘Not a criminal’
The Nation reached out to his brother, Mr Leytone Teya, who said: “My brother was not in any way a criminal. I don’t have any further comments.”
On Tuesday, Mr Peter Mwanzo, the OCPD Kasarani, said: “Only one of them was living within Kasarani Sub County, but they were all friends. Our preliminary investigations have shown that they led an unexplained life with an unexplained source of wealth. We are still investigating whether they engaged in online fraud linked to cryptocurrency as word has been going round.”
Their close associates told the Daily Nation that they usually took flights around the country and bought bottles of expensive drinks whenever they were with friends.
“In all the times we drank together, the least any of them paid was Sh20,000,” said one of their friends.
