2 Fugitive M-Pesa Theft Suspects Caught On CCTV Arrested In JKIA Coming From Zambia

Two suspected M-Pesa thieves across Kenya have been arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on their way back from Zambia
The suspects, identified as Ali Samir Abdalla and Ajip Haisam, were arrested shortly after landing and are being held at the Capital Hill Police Station.
CCTV footage that sparked outrage showed the suspects posing as customers at M-Pesa stores and general stores, before the money mysteriously disappeared

Two suspects in the robbery of M-Money across Kenya have been arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while trying to return to the country secretly from Zambia.

Ali Samir Abdalla and Ajip Haisam were arrested while returning from Zambia. Photo: Citizen TV Kenya.
Source: UGC

Detectives from the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Bank Fraud Unit arrested the two shortly after landing.

Police believe the suspects fled to Zambia to avoid arrest as investigators gather evidence linking them to a wave of phone money thefts in several cities.

The suspects, identified as Ali Samir Abdalla and Ajip Haisam, are now being held at the Capital Hill Police Station.

What caused the public outrage over M-Pesa theft?

Their arrest follows weeks of public outrage caused by CCTV footage circulating on various social media.

The videos showed the men entering M-Pesa shops and general stores, engaging the staff in seemingly normal transactions, before the money mysteriously disappeared.

In one of the reported incidents, filed at the Meru Police Station, a man and two women entered a mobile money shop pretending to be customers wanting to exchange foreign currency.

According to the shop owner, the group entered their shop and claimed they wanted to change dollars into local currencies.

What appeared to be a normal transaction and conversation with the waitress quickly turned into a loss of over KSh 40,000.

Joseph M’Ibaya, one of the victims, narrated how the suspects carried out the plan without raising suspicion at the time.

“Some people came in pretending to be normal customers; they were Arabs or Indians. There were three of them, and they said they had money they wanted to exchange for dollars. They handed it over, and the M-Pesa attendant handled it without knowing what was going on. Later, when we looked at the CCTV, it appeared they had sprayed something on the money, then they went inside, took all the money that was there, and left,” M’Ibaya said.

Did the suspects use chemicals to steal from M-Pesa stores?

The victims claim that the suspects used a chemical substance to trick the staff into handing over the money without using force or confrontation.

In several recordings reviewed by investigators, employees are seen calmly handing out money before the suspects exit the premises unchallenged.

It is reported that the same operation procedure was repeated in many cities, including Mombasa, Nairobi, Malindi, Nakuru, and Eldoret.

In one widely circulated video clip, the suspects were caught inside a grocery store, engaging the clerk in conversation before leaving with cash.

Another incident in Mombasa showed people believed to be part of the ring using a similar tactic at a local bank branch.

M’Ibaya said to post one of the video clips on TikTok it prompted a wave of calls from across the country, with more victims coming forward, claiming to have suffered similar losses.

“We posted the video on TikTok and many people started calling, saying they had also been robbed by the same people. When we went to the police station, we found it full of victims. And we hear that even when these people are arrested, they are released. These people are stealing all over Kenya, and the police are not doing enough. That is negligence on the part of the government,” M’Ibaya added.