DCI arrests 3 Cameroonians in Nairobi » Capital News

Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 13 -Three suspects linked to the ‘wash wash’ syndicate have been arrested in Nairobi.

The three, all Cameroonians, were arrested by detectives from the Directorate of criminal investigations(DCI’s) Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit (ECCU) after conning a Kenyan-based Australian businessman.

The suspect, identified as Timson Tiekam Babila alias Jeremy, was nabbed on Wednesday at a hotel in Kilimani area following a report from the complainant.

The DCI said Thursday that the suspect believed to be a ‘wash wash’ specialist was arrested alongside two other accomplices, Ernest Abeng Ahuo and Ayong Ronald Aku, all Cameroonians.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that Babila, entices his clients by duping them that they will make quick cash after cleaning their fake dollars and turning the dollars into real money. In order to make this happen, the suspect first asks his victims for genuine money for the purchase of chemicals and other materials used to clean the fake notes, usually locked steel boxes,” the DCI stated.

The suspect and his accomplices reside in Kiambu’s  in Ruaka area which the DCI said has become “synonymous with ‘Wash Wash’ suspects, who eke a living by stealing from hardworking businessmen,”

The agency said that the victim an investor with business interests in Kenya and Dubai had advanced Sh 800,000, to the suspects before he discovered that he had been duped.

“In a bid to recover his hard-earned money, he made a report at the ECCU offices in our Headquarters and the detectives immediately went for the suspects. A trap was laid at a local establishment and the suspect together with his abettors, fell for it hoping to make a killing of a lifetime,” the agency said.

The DCI further stated that a black steel box was recovered from the suspects during the operation.

The investigative agency appealed to people who have been conned by the suspects to file formal complaints.

“The DCI is urging any other person who might have fallen victim to the fraudster’s tricks, to report to the officer in charge of the Economic and Commercial Crimes Unit at the DCI Headquarters,” the agency said.

The suspects are currently in custody pending arraignment.

“Wash Wash’ business in parts of Nairobi’s suburbs has continued to thrive with several Kenyans and foreigners falling victim to fraudsters with a well-organized network globally.

The most common fraud in the country involves the gold business which has seen victims lose hundreds of millions of shillings to the scammers.