MCA Aspirant Arrested for Attempting to Con an MPesa Agent in Nakuru

An aspiring MCA was on Thursday arrested for attempting to swindle a mobile money agent in Nakuru city.

Benson Thuranira Kathiai, who is vying for the Muthara Ward representative seat in Meru County on a Nark-Kenya party ticket, was apprehended alongside his accomplices Michael Andai and Shadrack Otieno.

Rift Valley Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Mwenda Meme said the three approached an MPesa agent seeking to deposit Sh64,000 but soon after claimed that the transaction had not gone through and demanded reimbursement. 

"Thuranira entered a M-Pesa shop and asked the owner to deposit Sh64,000 in his mobile number. When the M-Pesa lady deposited, he manipulated his mobile phone and it could not reflect the deposit message. He, therefore, told the lady to return his cash which she did but upon checking her message, she found out the money had already been deposited to Thuranira's account," Meme said.

They were arrested after the mobile money agent swiftly informed law enforcement authorities.

Meme told reporters that Kathiai, a graduate of Mount Kenya University, has previously been implicated in several similar incidents in Busia, Meru, Mwea and Mombasa.

“Kathiai is a serial obtainer according to our investigations. He is an aspiring MCA in Meru. We have liaised with the OCS and DCI of that area so that they can come to collect them after we take the suspects to court,” said Meme.

The three will be arraigned in court on Friday.