NAIROBI, Kenya — Two men, David Opiyo Odhiambo and Albert Kerry Nyandianga, were released Monday on Sh70,000 bond each after being arrested for allegedly running elaborate social media scams promising to alter Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
The suspects appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina following a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) application seeking custodial orders and search warrants to continue investigations into alleged cybercrime and fraud.
Investigators said the two were suspected administrators of multiple WhatsApp and Telegram groups used to defraud the public by falsely claiming links with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). The groups reportedly had a combined following of more than 42,000 people.
Authorities allege that the suspects posed as KNEC officials and promised to change students’ exam grades in exchange for payment. They reportedly shared photographs of KNEC offices and examination portals to make their scheme appear legitimate, targeting anxious candidates and parents after the 2024 KCSE exams.
Odhiambo was arrested in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County, while Nyandianga was found in the Migingo area of Kisumu County, where police believe he had gone into hiding. Several electronic devices, including mobile phones and a laptop, were seized from the suspects. These devices are believed to contain data linking them to the WhatsApp and Telegram groups used in the scam.
The DCI requested more time for forensic analysis, citing the need to extract data critical for potential charges. Authorities are also working to trace other accomplices believed to be operating in Nairobi, Kiambu, Thika, and Rongai.
