'Italian agents' and alleged DCI officers linked to Sh8.9m plot

Four people linked to an alleged plot to hack Kenyan government and financial systems and an alleged Sh8.9 million kickback were on Wednesday presented before the Kahawa Court, where the Counter Terrorism Bureau (CTB) sought permission to detain them for 30 days.

The suspects are Periziosi Modestino and Stefano Lamuria, who allegedly introduced themselves as Italian special agents, and Edwin Ochieng and Ibrahim Hussein.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, through prosecution counsel Kennedy Amwayi, urged the court to allow the State to hold the four for 30 days to enable investigators to establish their intentions and activities.

“I urge this honourable court be pleased to issue a custodial order that the respondents herein be detained by the Counter-Terrorism Bureau (CTB) for thirty (30) days from today at an appropriate police station within Nairobi County, preferably at CTB, to allow the applicant to conclude investigations,” argued Amwayi.

Corporal Fred Sande told the court that on October 6, 2026, at around 11am, Modestino and Lamuria reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), where they allegedly introduced themselves as special agents of the Italian government.

According to Sande, the two claimed they were conducting an investigation outside Italy and were pursuing an alleged Italian hacker who was reportedly in Kenya and planning to hack Kenyan government and financial institutions’ systems.

He further told the court that the two sought assistance from DCI officers, one of whom allegedly identified himself using a police badge as Robert Oloo.

According to Sande, Oloo allegedly sought Sh5,000 after sending the two the geolocation of their target.

“Robert had informed them through a message of geolocation that the suspect in pursuit was located at Nyali, Mombasa where he demanded a payment of Sh 5000 which they sent though a provided mobile number,” claimed Sande, adding that Oloo then brought in his alleged boss, whom he identified as Mustafa.

The officer claimed that Mustafa allegedly demanded USD50,000 (Sh8.9 million) to take to DCI Director General Mohammed Amin to facilitate the arrest.

“They declined the offer and reported the officers to DCI Headquarters,” he said, adding that the DCI operations unit, accompanied by the two Italians, proceeded to JW Marriott Hotel in Westlands, where they arrested Ochieng and Hussein.

At the time of the arrest, Sande said, Ochieng had three mobile phones, one FM radio, a vehicle and assorted ATM cards, while Hussein had two mobile phones, a national identity card, an FM radio set without a serial number and one ATM card.

“During the interview the third and fourth respondents ( Ochieng and Hussein) alleged in the month of September, 2026 they met the second respondent where he explained to them, he needed to arrest a hacker who was to be detained and assist in infiltrating banking systems and Fraud money. They agreed if the job would be delivered, they would be paid a total of USD 5,000, and they received a call from him informing them to go and collect an instalment, which prompted their arrest,” the officer continued.

Sande further told the court that arresting officers allegedly contacted the Italian Embassy in Kenya to confirm the citizenship of Modestino and Lamuria but were allegedly informed that their passports and presence in Kenya could not be traced.

Investigators then allegedly proceeded to the Airbnb where the two were staying, where they recovered a security licence for a close protection certificate, which Sande said is issued to elite security officers, an Italian identification card, an International Police Association membership card and an international judge-mediator badge in Modestino’s name.

They also allegedly recovered an International Parliament Safety and Peace passport.

From Lamuria, the officer claimed, investigators recovered documents and equipment including a GIPP World Company Limited security and international intervention marine security document, a diplomatic passport, a Light Wave cash-counting machine, an IISI programmer laptop, a digital microscope without a serial number, a counterfeit money detector, a GPS anti-theft Terminator dual-band FM transceiver and a Minicraft with a power supply and drill bit, among other items.

“The CTB wishes to contact the service providers to obtain call data records and registration details of the telephone numbers involved for the purposes of analysing and establishing links between the respondents and establish any links of engaging in suspected organized criminal activities,” he said.

The officer stated that Lamuria had allegedly informed investigators that he was an entrepreneur with permanent residence in Malindi, Kilifi County.

However, Sande said investigators had not recovered any documents to prove the claim.

“The applicant has not recovered any document or proof from the respondents which indicates their validity or permanent residence in the country and needs time to travel to Kilifi County. Releasing the respondents on bail or bond poses a flight risk and high chances of absconding bond,” said Sande.

He further alleged that Oloo and Hussein were impersonating DCI officers and obtaining money from unsuspecting members of the public.

“The third and fourth respondents are suspected to be impersonating DCI police officers and obtaining money from unsuspecting members of public and general harassment. The applicant needs time to recover relevant identification documents, equipment and record statements from potential witnesses; therefore, releasing them on bail or bond poses a high chance of interfering with investigation and concealing evidence,” he argued.