Police in Garissa have arrested a person of interest following an alleged M-Pesa fraud incident involving an attendant at a mobile money shop in the town.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the incident happened in the Posta area of Bulla Hodhan, where an individual allegedly approached an M-Pesa attendant while pretending to be a Safaricom agent.
According to investigators, the individual claimed to be carrying out a mobile line upgrade. The attendant was reportedly deceived into allowing the person to access the mobile line.
Police said the suspect then swapped the line and allegedly used it to transfer money to another account without authorisation.
The incident was reported to police, prompting officers from Garissa Police Station to begin investigations. The person of interest was subsequently arrested.
During a search, officers recovered several items, including multiple SIM cards, four mobile phones, two SIM-card registration gadgets and four chargers. The items were taken as part of the ongoing investigation.
The person of interest remained in police custody as officers processed the case ahead of possible arraignment in court.
The investigation is also expected to establish whether the suspect may be connected to other reported cases involving M-Pesa attendants in Garissa and surrounding areas.
The incident has renewed concerns about fraudsters who impersonate telecommunications agents to gain access to mobile lines and carry out unauthorised transactions.
Police are continuing with investigations as they prepare the case for the next legal process.