By DCIThree students from Egerton University have been arraigned in court for obtaining millions of shillings from parents and KCSE candidates via Telegrams forums in the pretext that they would sell them examination materials for the forthcoming national examinations.
The detectives attached to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) launched investigations into the scam last week and have so far arrested the three who are based at the university’s main campus in Njoro, Nakuru County.
The mastermind of the syndicate Kelvin Anunda Mogaka, alias Prof Lenchodas, 24, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science Education in Mathematics and Physics was lured into a trap by the detectives on Thursday night and led them to his house in Njoro, Nakuru county.
Mogaka who lives large in a well-furnished apartment had created two telegram groups with over 13,000 followers, where he is believed to have obtained millions of shillings from parents, who parted with between Ksh5,000 to Ksh20,000 to help their children steal the examination.
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But the sleuths nipped their plans in the bud when they raided the suspect’s house and recovered dozens of SIM cards and identity cards that the suspect had used to open fraudulent M-Pesa and bank accounts where the received money would be deposited.
In one such account at Equity bank Kisii branch belonging to his brother who is a teacher in Mogongo Girls Secondary School, about Ksh2 million was flagged by the detectives who also discovered that the suspect also operated a similar account at the Kisii KCB branch.
The Telegram groups contained instructions on how the payments would be made with members being cautioned to strictly follow the procedure to save time.
“Avoid many stories, all papers are available,” read one of the messages in the telegram group.
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The suspect’s kin told detectives that Mogaka had earlier informed him that he had hit the jackpot after a successful bet and would be sending him money to put up a house for him at their home in Mosocho, Nyamira county.
When the detectives visited the homestead in Nyamusi, they confirmed that indeed the fourth-year student was not your usual varsity comrade but was in the process of putting up a modest house in the village, against all odds.
The suspect led the detectives to two other accomplices Francis Manyara Ogata alias Prof Ranchodas and Bravin Ombongi, both fourth-year students at Egerton University pursuing BA in Education, Maths and Geography courses.
During the raid, the detectives recovered six mobile phones, eight identity cards and ATM cards all linked to the fraudulent telegram and bank accounts.
The suspects were on Monday morning arraigned at Milimani law courts and released on a Ksh1 million bond or Ksh500,000 with surety of the same amount.
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