A suspected notorious online scammer was arrested and arraigned for allegedly conning a Nairobi man of Ksh.100,000 in a gas cylinder sale deal.
The accused, Justin Mwirigi Murungi, 31, appeared before a Nairobi court on Monday to face charges of conspiracy to defraud and obtain money by false pretense.
The Directorate of the Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement released on Tuesday, said Mwirigi was arrested in Thika where he had run into hiding after committing the crime.
“Justin Mwirigi Murungi, a perennial online fraudster who has been conning clients through a non-existing online gas cylinder shop was traced and nabbed by detectives after a number of Kenyans launched complaints about his dubious dealings,” stated the DCI.
The suspect, disguising himself online as a gas cylinder wholesaler by the name Kelvin Mwangi in charge of ‘Heritage Gas Wholesalers’, is said to have swindled Robert Isiche Mzee, a resident of Lang’ata in 2021.
Mzee was on the verge of setting up a gas vending business within the Kamulu area in Ruai, DCI stated, when he came across the said Facebook account.
“After satisfactorily double-checking the page, Mzee dialed the number and made inquiries where he was assured of the availability of the gas cylinders and that the company would deliver from their warehouse located along Lumumba road, Makupa in Mombasa County,” DCI noted.
Mzee then reportedly ordered 60 gas cylinders totaling Ksh.354,000, after which the suspect sent a quotation and requested him to pay a commitment fee of Ksh.117,000.
The duo negotiated and settled for Ksh.100,000 which Mzee wired to the supposed wholesaler.
“On the 3rd day of December, 2021, Mzee transferred 100,000 shillings via M-Pesa mobile money transfer to the con’s number. He was to be paid the rest of the money upon delivery of the cylinders,” read the statement.
After several days passed and Mzee failed to receive the cylinders as agreed, he proceeded to report the matter at Lang’ata Police Station where sleuths launched investigations immediately..
