Blogger Edgar Obare was on Thursday evening arrested for allegedly running a criminal network.
He is accused of being behind a fraud syndicate that blackmails wealthy Kenyans by tainting their reputation online and demanding money to ‘clear’ their names.
In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said that the suspect with his accomplice identified as Desy Oduor Achieng attempted to obtain Sh10 million from a Kenyan governor whom they falsely accused of impregnating the lady.
“Detectives from the cybercrime unit have uncovered an underworld network of criminals involving young ladies recruited by Obare, to stalk prominent personalities in political, business and religious circles for monetary exploitation. The ladies are then coached by Obare, on how to ensnare the victims into their traps then extort unimaginable sums of money from them,” said the DCI.
Obare is said to have shared the governor’s number with her and instructed her to tell him that she was pregnant with his child and that she would tell the whole world about their ‘secret’.
“When the governor did not respond, she was instructed to threaten him that she would share photos that they had allegedly taken in compromising situations but the governor did not respond,” the DCI added.
Obare then took to social media, accusing the governor of impregnating a woman and failing to take responsibility.
“Dejected that their plan wasn’t working, Obare took to his social media pages accusing the governor of impregnating a lady and failing to take responsibility. The supposedly pregnant lady wasn’t aware that, all along, he was taking screenshots of their conversations and her photos.”
DCI said fearing the repercussions of Obare's actions, the lady reported the matter to DCI offices in Nyali.
"Detectives have since established that the lady isn’t pregnant as she had claimed. Further, the lady has said that she has never met the governor, adding that she had only been recruited by Obare to extort money from the governor," the DCI noted.
The two will face charges of publishing false information contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act.
“Young ladies are cautioned to be wary of such fraudsters out to exploit them for their selfish gains and are advised to find alternative sources of income,” the DCI warned.
Last year, Obare was charged with unlawfully publishing private and personal details of a renowned YouTuber.
The blogger, who was arraigned at the Kiambu Law Courts, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on Sh100,000 bail with an option of Sh300,000 bond.
The controversial vlogger who runs a popular Instagram page specialising in local celebrity exposés pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned at the Kiambu Law Courts.
Any person who commits an offence under Section 72 of the Data Protection Act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh3 million or to an imprisonment term not exceeding 10 years, or both.
