Police in Ongata Rongai arrested a man suspected of defrauding M-Pesa operators after being caught on CCTV. The suspect, identified as Duke Maingi, was intercepted along Magadi Road while allegedly attempting to defraud an M-Pesa agent. The dramatic arrest, which unfolded behind a Rubis petrol station, was recorded on video, sparking mixed reactions online.
According to CCTV footage, the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when Maingi was seen entering an M-Pesa shop while on a phone call. He allegedly convinced the M-Pesa agent to speak to a person claiming to be from Safaricom customer care. However, the agent, Elvis Muthoni, sensed something was amiss and raised the alarm.
“Someone came in and told me to talk to customer care. I picked his phone, but the caller’s request for the agent number made me hesitate,” said Muthoni. Upon hearing the agent’s concerns, nearby residents intervened, detaining Maingi until the police arrived.
A businessman at the scene, Fredrick Okach, recounted, “When I saw the suspect inside, I told him he wasn’t leaving. We held him until the police came and took him away.” Another witness, Kennedy Otieno, dismissed rumors of abduction, stating, “That man is a thief, and he came to steal. Let’s stop spreading falsehoods.”
The suspect’s arrest was recorded as he resisted being forced into the police vehicle, even attempting to jump out before being subdued. Citizen TV visited the Rongai Police Station, where Maingi denied the allegations but acknowledged being linked to questionable transactions.
Authorities warn that fraudsters targeting M-Pesa agents have increased, urging operators and users to be vigilant. “The numbers used in the scam included a Safaricom line starting with 0110 and an Airtel line starting with 0780,” Muthoni revealed.
Investigators are analyzing CCTV footage and examining the phone numbers involved to piece together the fraud scheme. As cases of M-Pesa fraud rise nationwide, Kenyans are advised to be cautious when conducting mobile money transactions.
