Police in Marimanti, Tharaka Nithi County, have arrested four suspects accused of posing as officials from the Social Health Authority (SHA) and defrauding a local man of Ksh251,000 in a fake registration scheme.
The suspects Peter Muriithi, Catherine Kinyua, Lilian Njeri, and Samuel Mbuthia were apprehended following a complaint filed by the victim, who believed he was registering for genuine SHA membership.
Investigators revealed that the suspects tricked the man into surrendering his phone under the guise of completing the “registration process.” Moments later, his device went off, and shortly after, he discovered that Ksh251,000 had been withdrawn from his Sacco account and transferred to numbers linked to the fraudsters.
Police swiftly launched a sting operation that led to the suspects’ arrest and recovery of SHA-branded T-shirts, name tags, membership cards, promotional leaflets, multiple SIM cards, and a Toyota Prado (KDP 267C) believed to have been used in the scam. Another number plate, KDS 399C, was also recovered from the vehicle, raising suspicions of deeper criminal involvement.
“The suspects had created an elaborate setup, complete with official-looking materials, to make their scheme appear legitimate,” said a police source familiar with the investigation.
The four are being held at Marimanti Police Station pending arraignment as detectives pursue additional accomplices and attempt to identify other victims.
Authorities have since cautioned Kenyans to remain vigilant, verify the identity of officials claiming to represent public agencies, and avoid sharing personal or financial details with unverified agents.
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