Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have arrested seven suspects who teamed up to spike a reveler’s drink before sweeping his mobile money and bank accounts clean.
The gang descended on the complainant at a popular entertainment joint along Thika Road
The syndicate appear to have understood their assignment with duties delegated in an efficient but criminal operation that left the victim Sh250,000 poorer in a matter of minutes.
Efficient operation & 'division of labour'
The ladies were tasked with cajoling their victim to imbibe the spike drink, keeping him calm and entertained all through the operation and collecting valuables once he had been affected by the stupefying drugs.
READ: How to know if your drink has been spiked and what to do about it
Maureen Wambui Wanjohi, Purity Wamaitha Njuguna and Jemimah Muiya Mitau settled down to business, enticing the victim pretending to warm up to him.
Moses Munene Mwangi and Lephines Mwangi Mwai were tasked with sim swapping while Issac Kanini Mugo and James Omwenga were in charge of money transfers, ensuring that both mobile and bank accounts were wiped clean swiftly before the victim came back to his senses.
In a well-calculated move targeting the seemingly cash-rich victim, two of the male suspects, Moses Munene Mwangi and Lephines Mwangi Mwai fraudulently registered several sim cards used to swap the victim's cards, while the crime-prone damsels cajoled him to down spiked frothy waters.
The distraught victim reported the case at Kiamumbi Police Station before making his way to DCI HQS - Serious Crimes office, detectives launched a sting operation that saw all the seven suspects arrested in a matter of hours.
Sting operation leading to arrest of the whole gang
Moses Munene and Lephines Mwangi smoked out of their hideout in Kahawa West and arrested on Friday, February 21, 2025.
They were found in possession of several unregistered sim cards that are part of the evidence collected.
Detectives thereafter headed to Githurai 44 where Maureen Wambui Wanjohi, Purity Wamaitha Njuguna and Jemimah Muiya Mitau seized while reveling in the success of their illegal operation.
Police linked the three women to Sh110,000 of the stolen amount.
The remaining members of the gang were traced to Ruiru township in Kiambu County where Issac Kanini Mugo and James Omwenga were rounded up and taken to Kiamumbi Police Station.