A 24-year-old university student who was arrested for allegedly conning unsuspecting members of the public has been charged with impersonating ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo.
Mr Carlos Dickens Otieno was charged with the offence, contrary to section 382 (1) of the penal code, with the intent to defraud on diverse dates between January 1, 2023 and February 14, 2023.
The accused person is also facing theft charges after he was allegedly found with a mobile phone which he could not account for at the time of his arrest.
This after Mr Owalo reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) the suspect has been impersonating him on social media with fake job promises to members of the public.
The suspect was reported to have been using Mr Owalo’s images on his social media accounts while soliciting for cash using two mobile phone numbers.
The DCI’s Criminal Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) traced Mr Otieno to Tassia area within Embakasi in Nairobi where they arrested him.
Mr Otieno denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Hellen Okwani of Makadara Law Courts and sought lenient bail and bond terms.
He claimed that his car, a mobile and a title deed among other documents were confiscated by the police officers during his arrest. Through his advocate, Mr Otieno sought orders to have the confiscated items returned to him.
He was released on a bond of Sh100,000 and an alternative cash bail of a similar amount. The case will be mentioned on February 17, 2023 when the DCI will respond to the accused person’s claims. Hearing of the case starts on August 21, 2023.
