Suspects Who Allegedly Defrauded Belgian Envoy of Sh4.8 Million to Remain in Custody

Two individuals suspected of cybercrime will remain in custody for seven days while an extensive investigation is conducted.

The cybercrime suspects are accused of hacking into the bank accounts of the Belgian Ambassador to Kenya Jerome Roux and stealing Sh4.8 million. Ms Belinda Jepkemoi and Ms Yvoune Chepkurui, who resorted to hiding from law enforcement officials for five months, had their run come to a halt as they were captured and detained at Gigiri Police Station in Nairobi County. Concerned that the suspects were a flight risk, Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi instructed all necessary measures to be put in place to detain them. It was in Kericho that the suspects were ultimately located after regularly switching between counties.

Speaking during the court proceedings, Mr Ochoi noted that the accused adopted transient tactics, travelling back and forth between Kericho, Mombasa, and Nairobi, leading police to monitor their whereabouts from Mombasa before apprehending them. Criminal Investigations Officer Lawrence Irungu backed the request for an extension by the police, revealing that the indicted individuals belong to a wider clique of cybercriminals, long known for causing confusion in counties like Mombasa, Nakuru and Nairobi, among others. He emphasized exploring all fraudulent activities and schemes of the cybercriminals.

Due to this validity and importance, an extension has been granted. According to Mr Irungu, both Belinda and Yvonne are involved in a cybercrime ring that operates in numerous areas of Kenya. He requested their detention, claiming that they posed a danger to society. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that these suspects were utilizing five separate mobile phone numbers. Their fraudulent scam specifically affected pensioners resulting in a substantial monetary loss of millions of shillings. To make a stronger case against the suspects, Mr. Irungu and his crew arranged to obtain statements from approximately 15 separate victims and other witnesses, spread out across multiple counties.

They also encourage other victims to come forward and provide statements. When asked about their opposition to the seven-day remand, Belinda mentioned that she was currently breastfeeding her baby, while Yvoune explained that she had school-aged children who required her attention on a daily basis. However, they acknowledged that the police needed time to examine the cybercrime devices in their possession.