DCI Arrests Suspect Accused of Stealing Over KSh 3.7m from Tourist at Maasai Mara
- Detectives apprehended a suspect linked to a high-value theft targeting a foreign national during a recent trip to a popular Kenyan destination
- Forensic analysis exposed the suspect’s true identity after the use of a false name in an elaborate scheme
- Authorities recovered valuables, cash, and other items believed to have been purchased using the allegedly stolen funds
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested a man accused of stealing over KSh 3.7 million from a tourist at the Maasai Mara Game Park.
Source: Twitter
Detectives from the Nairobi Region Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau apprehended Kenas Okello Oyugi, described as the mastermind behind the theft, which occurred on August 6, 2025.
When did Kenas Okello allegedly steal from a tourist?
According to investigators, the victim—a Greek national—had arrived in Nairobi on August 5 and travelled to the Maasai Mara the next day with his tour guide and an acquaintance he had met online, who introduced himself as 'Jeremiah John.'
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;)
While at the park, the man vanished, allegedly taking with him three debit cards, a mobile phone, and a wristwatch.
Shortly afterwards, €25,000 (approximately KSh 3,757,000) was withdrawn from the tourist’s bank account.
Forensic investigations later revealed that 'Jeremiah John' was a false identity used by Oyugi. Detectives tracked him down and arrested him at his hideout.
"Upon his arrest, detectives recovered mobile phones, a Seiko Crystal wristwatch, KSh 54,050, and cash in US dollars. They also seized a brand-new tour trek bicycle, believed to have been purchased with the stolen funds," DCI stated in a statement.
Oyugi is being held at Central Police Station as detectives complete their investigations before his arraignment.
Did DCI arrest phone snatchers in Nairobi CBD?
In another intelligence-led operation, officers from Central Police Station arrested Victor Kimani, a suspect linked to a phone theft syndicate in Nairobi’s CBD.
Source: Twitter
Kimani was caught tampering with IMEI numbers to conceal stolen phones. He led detectives to Intermark Business Centre, where two alleged accomplices, Marvine Wangundo and Jeremiah Njoroge, were also arrested.
A search of the premises uncovered a large cache of stolen electronics, including numerous smartphones from various brands and several computer units. The recovered items included Samsung, Vivo, Nokia phones, and several desktop CPUs.
Do phone thieves reconfigure stolen phones?
Meanwhile, this happened weeks after Nairobi Regional Commander George Sedah confirmed the recovery of stolen items valued at over KSh 3 million during an operation targeting phone theft networks.
The recovered cash was seized from locations known for harbouring individuals who buy stolen phones, reconfigure them, and resell them to unsuspecting buyers.
Sedah explained that the suspects arrested were not the original phone snatchers but intermediaries operating through mobile repair shops.
During the operation, six suspects were apprehended. Police noted that most phone thieves use motorcycles to steal phones from pedestrians before fleeing into traffic.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
