Detectives have arrested Newton Paul Kengere, a 29-year-old suspect accused of impersonating former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. It is alleged that Kengere deceived unsuspecting members of the public by posing as the wealthy businessman and claiming to provide educational loans.
Detectives arrested Kengere in Kisii’s Riokindo Ward within Kenyenya sub-county, and recovered the handset used by the imposter to send deceptive messages to vulnerable targets, along with several SIM cards.
The DCI said Mike Sonko reported the fraudulent activities to the Capital Hill Police Station, detailing multiple Facebook accounts operated by the suspect.
Kengere reportedly masqueraded as a member of the Sonko Rescue Team and falsely claimed to coordinate an initiative assisting needy parents with school fees challenges.
Crafty Messages
The suspect crafted messages instructing interested individuals to register with a fee of Sh1,000 for an interest-free advance loan. To secure the loan, applicants were required to provide their ID numbers, full names, location, and state the purpose.
Upon receiving the registration fees, Kengere would evade contact, leaving victims with the simplistic adage, “Patience pays.”
The DCI Nairobi Area Crime Research & Intelligence Unit traced him to his village, and he is currently being processed for arraignment on January 19.
Responding to the arrest, former Governor Mike Sonko stated: “I wish to convey my sincere appreciation to the DCI and his entire teams both from Kiambu Road Hqs and Nairobi Area regional hqs for the job well job done.
“Hawa wezi niliwaambia ziko zao haziko mbali. Boss, I still need your help in the apprehension of the other suspects who are still at large and busy swindling unsuspecting members of the public.” Sonko added.
Below are some of the WhatsApp messages recovered by DCI.
