DCI Arrest Sonko Impostor Conning Kenyans Thousands Through Loans

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested a 29-year-old suspect impersonating former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and swindling scores of Kenyans thousands of shillings.

In a statement on Thursday, January 11, DCI revealed that the suspect had fraudulently obtained thousands of shillings from unsuspecting members of the public in an educational loan advance bluff.

"Newton Paul Kengere was arrested in Kisii's Riokindo Ward within Kenyenya sub-county, where the handset he has been using to send enticing messages to vulnerable targets and several sim cards were also recovered," stated DCI in part.

The suspect's actions had drawn the attention of Sonko, who reported several Facebook accounts that the suspect commandeered, through a complaint lodged at Capitol Hill Police Station.

DCI indicated that the accounts had purported to be working with the Sonko Rescue Team and coordinating an initiative to help needy parents with school fees challenges.

"Kengere went ahead to author messages that required interested persons to register with Sh1,000 for the advance loans which he said, would not accumulate any interest.

"To secure a loan, "applicants" had to also send their ID numbers, full names, location and state the purpose," added the DCI.

However, after receiving the registration fees, the suspect would shift briskly from a persistent caller to the aphoristic, "Patience pays", a statement that all his targets would make of their hard-earned Ksh1,000.

DCI Nairobi Area Crime Research and Intelligence Unit team which traced him to his village is processing him before his arraignment on Friday, January 19.

This is not the first time individuals have been caught impersonating prominent individuals to rob unsuspecting targets.

On this date in 2023, police arrested a 23-year-old after he impersonated Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's wife, Dorcas Rigathi and reportedly created 14 Facebook pages which he used to message Kenyans promising them loans ranging between Ksh1,000 and Ksh200,000, at a fee of Ksh700 and an extra Ksh2,500 as security.

The suspect was also reported to have hired his girlfriend who worked as a secretary to guide the interested individuals through the process of registering for the loans.

On December 19, 2022, a 22-year-old man was arrested after he impersonated Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and fraudulently obtained an unknown amount of money. 

Under section 382(1) of the Penal Code, any person who, with intent to defraud any person, falsely represents himself to be some other person, living or dead, is guilty of a misdemeanour.

Under section 36 of the Penal Code, the general punishment for a misdemeanour is a maximum term of two years imprisonment with a fine or both.