A person who posed as the controversial politician Mike Sonko has been apprehended by agents of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for engaging in fraudulent activities.
Newton Paul Kengere, 29, was deceiving individuals on social media by assuming the identity of Mike Sonko and making false promises regarding the approval of loans, as revealed by the DCI.
Upon his arrest in Riokindo Ward of Kisii, within the Kenyenya sub-county, it was discovered that Newton Paul Kengere had been utilizing a specific phone to send enticing messages to vulnerable targets. The authorities also uncovered multiple SIM cards in his possession.
Businessman Mike Sonko had previously reported to the Nairobi police station about numerous cases of individuals impersonating him on social media.
Exploiting the images of Sonko on his social media profile, Kengere took advantage of the situation to defraud people, particularly those in less fortunate circumstances.
Kengere employed a tactic where he would encourage individuals to register for initial loans by paying a registration fee of Sh1,000. He falsely assured them that these loans would be interest-free. Prospective “applicants” were required to provide their ID numbers, full names, location, and state the purpose of the loan.
However, once the registration fees were received, Kengere would change his approach, telling individuals, “Patience pays.” The deceptive scheme resulted in all his targets losing their Sh1,000, as stated by the DCI.
Currently, Kengere is under the jurisdiction of the DCI Nairobi Crime and Intelligence Research Unit team. He is scheduled to appear before the court on Friday, January 19. The team conducted a search in his village to locate and apprehend him.
