Police arrest suspected online investment fraudster
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested a businessman suspected of conning unsuspecting members of the public of their money in fake online trade and investments deals.
John Mathenge was arrested at Kibera law courts by officers from the DCI’s Capital Markets Investigations Unit. He was immediately charged with conning a couple of Sh350,000.
He is remanded at Capitol Hill police station until Friday.
Mathenge was charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretenses where he is accused of receiving Sh300,000 from Conceptor Ayiya Muhati at Alys Centre in Westlands.
In the second count, Mathenge is accused of obtaining Sh50,000 from Ms. Muhati’s husband John Wambwile Wekesa.
He is accused of committing the alleged offences on diverse dates between June 25 and 29 this year falsely pretending he was in a position to introduce the couple to a business investment plan that would make them quick millionaires, something he knew was false or untrue.
They transferred the money through Mpesa to Sokomart Investments Limited through a paybill number shared by Mathenge email.
The two returned to his offices after 10 days only to be told that there is a director of the company who has travelled to China and no transactions could be done until he returns.
Since then, they have been taken in circles until they reported the matter to the police.
Mathenge opposed detention at Capitol Hill police station and instead choose Parklands police station where his car is detained but prosecution insisted Capitol Hill is convenient for detectives based at the CMA offices in the Upper Hill area.
He had alleged that he is asthmatic and could develop seizures if locked up in dusty places.
The same was rejected but senior principal magistrate Esther Bhoke ordered him to be escorted to a hospital.
The court will set bail and bond terms after DCI investigations are concluded.