This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
On October 8, 2019, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) issued a warning to Kenyans against buying electronic gadgets from unregistered dealers. According to the DCI, hundreds of cases have been reported where people are facing charges for handling stolen property.
A Nairobi-based journalist, who wishes to remain anonymous, recently experienced this firsthand. He had borrowed a phone from another customer at an M-Pesa shop in Embakasi to send money to a friend, only to be arrested two days later at his rural home in Homa Bay by police officers who claimed he had used a phone whose owner had been shot dead by carjackers along Thika Road.
Fortunately, a survivor of the incident failed to identify him, and he was freed after five days in custody. However, this story is not unique to the journalist. Many unsuspecting Kenyans are buying or using stolen electronic gadgets, some of them taken from victims of violent crimes.
Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti urged the public to purchase electronic gadgets from dealers who have a fixed physical address and conspicuously display their licenses, permits, and other local or national approvals. He warned that buying from unregistered dealers can be dangerous, as some of them trade in stolen goods, including items taken from people who have been murdered.
“It is dangerous to buy an electronic device from suspicious outlets. Most of them buy stolen items from armed gangsters who have violently robbed innocent citizens and in the process killed or maimed them,” said Kinoti.
He also advised those holding gadgets they suspect may have been stolen to seek police help immediately. “In case of any doubt about the source of your gadget, please report at any police station or DCI office to avoid problems,” Kinoti said.
