The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has urged merrymakers to be vigilant to avoid being drugged and robbed in entertainment spots.
As the festive season begins, the DCI is urging caution amid rising cases of drink spiking that has spread to joints in rural areas.
Recent incidents show a concerning trend of drink spiking, commonly referred to as ‘pishori’ schemes, where unsuspecting individuals fall victim to theft after their drinks are drugged.
According to the authorities, the criminals, commonly referred to as ‘Mchele Babes,’ keen to make a killing during the festive season, now patronise entertainment joints in rural outposts.
“As the festive season gains traction, members of the public, especially those flocking to entertainment joints, are encouraged to remain alert as not every reveller is up to something good. Cases of drugging by way of spiking drinks are on the rise and all Kenyans need to be vigilant,” said DCI Amin Mohamed in a statement.
This comes as the Ministry of Interior last week outlined key security concerns with petty offences like pickpocketing and muggings expected to increase, especially in crowded areas like entertainment joints, markets, shopping malls and public transport hubs. The authorities noted a rise in drug distribution and the production of illicit alcoholic brews, which remain a significant concern during the holidays.
But even as police issued the caution, ‘mchele’ gangs are on the prowl. In the most recent incident captured by CCTV cameras last week, a stupefied holidaymaker lost valuables to a ‘Pishori Babe" at a Diani hotel.
Police revealed that the incident happened after a night of merrymaking, when the reveller, who was on a job-related assignment, visited a popular joint.
According to a senior DCI detective, the reveller then left for his hotel room in the company of a woman he had met at the joint.
“The woman was captured leaving the hotel room some minutes before noon. She allegedly stole two mobile phones, a watch and ATM cards from the victim," revealed the detective.
“The suspect also swept clean the bank accounts of the victim, before switching off his phones.”
On November 17, 2024, DCI detectives arrested a woman suspected of drugging revellers in drinking joints in Nairobi, following the incident in Kilimani.
Her arrest came after a Chadian national made a report that the suspect drugged him before robbing him of his belongings, including a wallet, after they made merry at two popular nightclubs in Nairobi.
At the residence, the suspect allegedly drugged the victim and stole $4,000, Sh10,000 and two mobile phones, before disappearing.
Security officials said that after investigations, they smoked the suspect out of her hideout in the Hunters area of Kasarani sub-county, where they recovered the stolen phones that were positively identified by the complainant.
Inside her house, detectives recovered several newly purchased electronic items, including a 75" Samsung TV worth Sh107,000 as indicated by the purchase receipts, and a cooker worth Sh55,000.
Although the authorities say dozens of security officers have been deployed to different places, including drinking joints, to address general crime during the festive season, they have asked Kenyans to be cautious.
With increased merrymaking, the incidents of drink spiking could dramatically soar in the next two to three weeks.
In the past weeks, a number of incidents have been reported in Naivasha town, Nakuru city and Nairobi. Police say most victims prefer not to report such incidents. “Perhaps out of fear of being judged,” Naivasha police boss Stephen Kirui added.
In Nakuru, three revellers last week lost more than Sh1 million after merrymaking, colloquially known as kupiga sherehe , in various entertainment joints. One victim narrated his ordeal, revealing that he lost his Samsung phone and Sh450,000.
Recalling events before he blacked out, the victim said he entered a popular drinking joint in Nakuru city centre accompanied by his friend.
“Beside us were two women who appeared engrossed in talks and appeared uninterested in what we were doing. Little did we know they were just playing safe,” said the victim, shaking his head.
He said they continued to enjoy their drinks but could not resist going to the dance floor when the club’s disc jockey (DJ) played a song they liked.
“We did not suspect anything. Our drinks were spiked in the event and the next time we woke up was when the club staff were asking us to leave so that they could close the club. Our phones and cash had been stolen,” he recalled.
The last thing he remembered before waking up was the dance with one of the women. He, however, cannot recall details of the drugging incident.
In Naivasha, two victims who arrived in the lakeside town to enjoy the festive season told the Nation they lost more than Sh500,000 and other personal items after their drinks were spiked at an entertainment joint within the town centre.
According to Peter Karanja, a pub manager in Nakuru, the criminals are usually a gang of beautiful women.
“Such incidents are tricky for bar managers. We are not able to tell who are genuine revellers and members of the gangs. The best we can do is intervene at the CCTV level to provide footage when required. People who have the courage to do such things are usually strangers who hit a bar and disappear for some time,” he observed. “I urge revellers to be cautious. Even those who seem sophisticated can turn out to be scammers.”
The infamous mchele gangs have caused mayhem in Naivasha and they have tentacles in Nakuru, Nairobi, Thika, Kiambu, Kericho, Eldoret, Kisumu and other major towns. They are linked to a series of spiking incidents that have had senior police officers on edge.
In 2021, for instance, a Narok farmer was drugged in Naivasha and lost at least Sh800,000. In 2022, another victim was drugged in the town and lost Sh500,000 from a local bank account, Sh10,000 from his mobile money account, Sh73,000 from a mobile banking transaction, and an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Three victims were also drugged in 2023, during the Safari Rally event and lost about Sh2 million.
