A student of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) was arrested and charged at a Thika Court for conning unsuspecting members of the public using fake electricity tokens.
Simon Gitau Kimani, a first year student at the university’s main campus, was nabbed by Kenya Power security officers on 24th April 2017 and booked in at Juja Police Station. He appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Kimani pleaded guilty to charges of obtaining by false pretense and was remanded pending judgement on May 4th, 2017. The BSC Industrial Technology student has been running advertisements on social media purporting to be selling fairly priced Kenya Power tokens.
Upon receiving payment for the non-existent tokens from his targets, he would block their numbers, cutting of further communication and leaving them frustrated. At the time of his arrest at his hostel room, Gitau was found in possession of assorted Safaricom SIM cards, ID cards, a Techno phone with a line used for the con game and a laptop with the scam advert documents.
This comes two days after a Kapsabet Court remanded two suspected vandals arrested in connection with transformer vandalism in the town. They appeared in court on Monday and were remanded for seven days to allow the Company to prefer more charges on them.
Kenya Power’s Security Services Manager Major Geoffrey Kigen (Rtd) cautioned the public against engaging in any transactions with unauthorized persons in regard to acquisition of electricity supply and payment for the service thereafter.
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“There are many criminals out there who are fleecing money from innocent Kenyans. We urge the public to be vigilant and report all suspicious activities to Kenya Power offices or the nearest Police Station,” said Maj Kigen
The company’s security team also arrested one suspect, Abu Simiyu Wasike, while constructing an illegal line at Ngelani Village in Machakos. He was found in possession of assorted items including 200 meters of conductors and two wooden poles.
In a similar operation carried out in Uasin Gishu County, 790 meters of aluminium conductors and two prepaid meters were recovered from illegal lines constructed in Bayete areas of Cheptiret.
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