Four suspects linked to sim swap fraud charged with robbery with violence

Four suspects linked to sim swap syndicate in the country were on Friday charged with robbery with violence.

Kevin Kiplang’at Maritim alias Elvis Chepkosa was arrested on Wednesday alongside his close associates Hillary Muge, Emmanuel Tonui and Evans Kiprotich Chirchir alias Protio in Bomet and arraigned in Kericho.

When arraigned, they all denied robbery with violence charges and were each released on Sh1 million bond with two sureties of Sh500,000 each.

The charge sheet read that on December 28, 2023 at Upper Hill Estate in Bureti Sub County within Kericho County, jointly with others not before court while armed with dangerous weapons namely pistols robbed Wesley Kipngenp Tanui of his Motor Vehicle Reg. No.KDE 005K, a  Toyota Fielder.

The car was valued at Sh1,520,000 and he had cash Sh150,000 all totaling Sh1,670,000 and immediately before or immediately after the time of robbery used actual violence against the said Tanui.

They denied the charges before a Kericho court.

According to police, Chepkosa is the leader of the infamous Mulot simswap syndicate.

He was arrested on February 13, 2024 by DCI officers who sought more time through a miscellaneous application to detain him.

He and his accomplices were arraigned on February 20 and detained in custody for two weeks when their bail application was heard.

According to the police, the 31-year-old leads a group of young people from Bomet County who are involved in a type of scam called social engineering (vishing).

They use this method to get personal information from their victims, which they then use to switch their phone numbers (sim swap).

Afterward, they withdraw money from their mobile wallets and bank accounts.

Chepkosa started doing this crime around 2014 after learning about it from another cybercriminal who learned it while in Naivasha Maximum Prison.

Police say he regularly recruits young people from the area and teaches them about social engineering and sim swapping.

This has led to the spread of this crime in Mulot, and it's said that almost every home has at least one person involved in sim swapping.

The group has also recruited individuals from important institutions like banks who can provide them with information like dates of birth, which they use in their operations.

They have further recruited police officers in the area who offer them protection and inform them of any planned operations by teams from outside their area, police claim.

This has seen syndicate members escaping arrests or being released from custody in unclear circumstances, officials say.

During low seasons when sim swap activities are not yielding much, the syndicate members involve themselves in robberies within Bomet, Kericho and Nakuru Counties, police investigations show.

The gang has amassed wealth that they showcase on social media platforms such as Tiktok, further attracting the area youth to the vice.