Tirus Kasera in the dock at the Makadara law courts. Photo / Gabriel Somba

By Gabriel Somba
A fraud suspect who allegedly duped a businesswoman into sharing her M-Pesa personal identification number (PIN while “registering” her for Pochi la Biashara and transferred Sh176,000 from her M-Pesa has been arrested.

Tirus Kasera is in custody at Ruaraka Police station in Starehe Division, where police are investigating a case of stealing contrary to section 268 (1) as read with section 275 of the Penal Code.

The complainant, a bar owner, was at her business premises at around 10 am with employees and customers when she saw Kasera and others clad in Safaricom Kenya Limited reflector jackets selling the telco’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.

She approached them and asked if they could register her SIM card for the express business payment platform, and they obliged.

Kasera went into her business with her, as the others stood outside. He told her to dial her PIN three times so that the registration could be successful, and later joined his “colleagues” and left.

Three hours later, the businesswoman realised that Sh176,000 was being illegally withdrawn from her M-Pesa and had been transferred to three different numbers in different transactions.

Kasera was arrested on October 6 within the Baba Ndongo area by members of the public after the businesswoman identified him.

He was allegedly found with a Safaricom Company’s device used for registration of SIM cards and assorted SIM cards, which were all handed over to the police.

Kasera was remanded in police custody by Chief Magistrate Paul Rotich of Makadara law courts after police constable Mathews Nundi obtained orders to detain him for seven days to conclude investigations into the theft.

The suspect had opposed the application, claiming he is working for Kenya Breweries Limited, having been subcontracted by a company that hires workers for the giant beer maker.

Nundi said he needed time to identify owners of the SIM cards recovered from Kasera, adding that he is yet to recover the money stolen from the complainant, and also find the holders of the SIM cards that the money was sent to.

Kasera will remain in custody until October 16, when he will be returned to court for further directions after police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) make decisions on the matter, depending on the findings and status of the investigations.