Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested six suspected cybercriminals linked to a series of cybercrime incidents.
Fortune Muthina Kinyanzui alias Albanas Kyalo, Ruel Kipkoech Yator alias Papa Ruel, Laban Kipkirui Koech, Weldon Kipyegon Rono, Towet Kipkorir Alphonce and Kelvin Kipyegon Koech were arrested in a security operation conducted in Nyali, Mombasa County.
The investigators are linking the suspects to a series of serious fraud through spoofing to dupe their targets whereafter they siphon millions of cash electronically.
The sleuths started the operation on May 31, 2025, by following an intelligence tip. The fraudsters, the DCI says, are notorious for social-engineering their victims by use of a call spoofing application to disguise their identities, through manipulation of phone calls and numbers to make them appear as if they were originating from authentic call centres.
“Fortune Muthina (mastermind) is believed to possess the spoofing application which he used to aid the infamous ‘Mulot Swapper’ fraudsters at a fee to make calls to victims while masquerading customer care service desk attendants in banks and telecommunication offices,” the DCI reports.
By deception that causes panic and a sense of urgency, the victims are made to reveal personal information that the fraudsters use to transfer huge sums of money to their accounts.
Authorities say that the spoofing App was on high demand that the suspects had to part with over KSh500,000 to acquire it, have it configured and be provided with an IP address to facilitate their malicious activities.
“But determined to paralyze their fraudulent missions, the officers raided APA apartments Hse no. B2 (AirBnB) located along 1st Avenue in Nyali, Mombasa County where the suspects had set base. The house had been turned into their training and working station,” the DCI adds.
The suspects were busted in possession of 19 assorted mobile phone gadgets, assorted SIM cards and SIM card holders (Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom and MTN Uganda), a book containing possible victims’ records among other items.
The suspects were on June 3, 2025 arraigned at Kahawa Law Courts in Nairobi through a miscellaneous application seeking custodial orders to enable finalizing of the investigation. The presiding magistrate court No. 2 directed that the matter be mentioned on 6th June, 2025 for ruling.
The suspects are currently been detained at Capitol Hill Police Station.
The DCI is advising those who might have fallen victim to the fraudsters to follow up with the respective stations investigating their cases for further communication with DCI Headquarters on the next cause of action.
