The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has responded to a viral self-recorded video featuring a Kenyan woman working in Saudi Arabia who alleges to have been conned out of her Ksh300,000.
According to reports, she reported the matter to DCI Kasarani only to lose an additional Ksh50,000 in an attempt to recover her initial loss.
In the video, which has since gained attention, Irene Waithera accused the officials of making her spend money only to end up losing everything she had.
DCI officials have now confirmed that they will restart the case and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
"The DCI Director has directed the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (SCCIO/DCIO) at Kasarani to fast-track investigations into these allegations and report on the same.
"We shall share the position on the matter including the action taken soon," DCI started.
How it started
In November 2023, Waithera sent Ksh300,000 from Saudi Arabia through her employer, only for it to be received by the wrong recipient.
Despite efforts made with her Saudi employer to reverse the transaction, they were unsuccessful as the receiver had already withdrawn the cash.
When attempting to contact the mobile service agent, she was instructed to physically travel back to be assisted in reclaiming the money.
She immediately took a flight back and landed in Kenya a day after she had sent the money to the wrong number to start tracking it.
Waithera didn't go home, but immediately visited Kasarani police station recorded a statement and tracking of the receiver of the money started.
The phone signals were traced to a man in Kisumu, and when the officials reached out he picked to confirm his location.
However, what followed was a series of demands. She was requested to fuel the police car, for which she claimed to have paid Ksh20,000 later that day, the officer called again to request another Ksh30,000 after alleging that the police vehicle couldn't navigate to where the culprit was.
Subsequently, when she inquired if the suspect had been arrested, she was informed that the individual had fled the country and was traced to Tanzania.
Enraged, she took a personal initiative to call the suspect even after she was warned against doing so by the alleged officials.
On receiving the call, the suspect still confirmed that he was indeed in Kisumu, and not in Tanzania as the officials claimed prompting her to call them back and offer some corrections.
A few days after being held in the cell, she received a rude message from the suspect followed by a screenshot of a money transfer to the officers making her lose all hope blocking their numbers and turning to social media to create awareness about it.
