Editor's Review

Francis Mairura masterminded a hi-tech swindle that swept Sh0.9 Million from a Mombasa-based microfinance. 

An online scammer who masterminded a hi-tech swindle that swept Sh0.9 Million from a Mombasa-based microfinance, has been arrested and Sh600,000 recovered. 

The architect of the heist Francis Mairura was smoked out of his hideout in Nyamondo village located at Gucha South in Kisii county.

This is after the sleuths based at DCI’s operations support unit trailed the cash which was siphoned through a breach of the Sacco’s IT systems and transferred to six Mpesa accounts belonging to the suspect.

The high level fraud which occurred on December 31, 2022, was executed between 3:30 to 5 pm by the 22-year-old suspect who was at the time oscillating between two houses, one at Witeithie estate in Thika town and the other at Gitambaya in Ruiru.

The money and laptop were recovered at the scene. 

Immediately the suspect realized that he was on the radar of DCI, he escaped to his rural home in Kisii county.

Unknown to him, the detectives had been trailing him before they raided his village home and smoked him out.

A thorough search was conducted leading to the recovery of Sh0.6 million, 3 Mobile phones and a HP laptop suspected to have been used in the heist.

The suspect is currently under armed escort to Mombasa, where he will be processed and charged for his crimes.