Police nab eight suspects masquerading as witch-doctors linked to Sh1.5m fraud

Eight suspects masquerading as witch doctors linked to Sh1.5 million fraud have been arrested.

The suspects have been booked at the Nairobi Central Police Station as investigations continue.

Five, two female and three male among them the prime suspect, were arrested today in Limuru on Sunday after police officers from were tipped by a local residing near the rented apartment.

Three others were earlier nabbed at Zimmerman (two male) and Ngara (female).

The police also impounded a Toyota Prado vehicle they are suspected to be using with assortments of a dummy snake, a casket, a decorated guard among others.

Speaking to The Standard, the Nairobi Central OCPD, Stephen Okal, confirmed the arrests but did not issue details as  they were still being processed at the time.

"I am waiting for the brief and will issue statement later with details of and identities of the suspects," he said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that four of the suspects are Ugandans.

According to the victim, who requested not to be mentioned, he was conned between December 13 and 17, 2024.

He said he approached the suspects from the social media platform TikTok, where they advertise their "witchcraft services" to unsuspecting members of the public.

 "I was going through the TikTok app and saw a user who was purporting to be helping people solve their problems," he said.

"I called the contact and talked to someone referring to himself as Daktari and he asked for my official names and my photo..." he told The Standard.

He would later realised that he had fallen prey to a con-game after they asked him some Sh4.5 million more to complete the deal, prompting him to report to the police.

"I reported at Parklands police station but did not get help. I then came to Central Police and they took up the matter," he stated.

The suspects have been remanded at the officers to continue with investigations before their arraignment in court.