Collins Kipleting Serem Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are holding a 22-year-old man in custody on suspicion of impersonating Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and fraudulently obtaining an unknown amount of money from gullible Kenyans.
The suspect, Collins Kipleting Serem alias ‘Rengstar’, is a benga artist based in Kamplemur village in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County.
He is alleged to have created a fake Facebook account bearing DP Gachagua’s name and received funds from netizens on false claims of supporting an ongoing campaign to feed Kenyans facing hunger.
Mr Serem had published a pay bill number connected to an account at Eldoret’s Standard Chartered Bank and appealed to his over 14,000 followers to come together and raise funds for the victims of hunger, promising God’s blessings to those who would heed the plea. Law enforcement officers attached to the Deputy President’s office launched a manhunt for the suspect and arrested him in Sugoi, where he is being processed and awaiting arraignment.
The news comes just two days after a similar Saturday incident in Garissa, where detectives apprehended a 33-year-old man for impersonating a Kenya Defence Forces officer.
A team of sleuths were dispatched to track him down from his hideout after he circulated a videotape on social media while dressed in military fatigue.
A search conducted following his arrest resulted in the recovery of the military uniform he used.
The suspect was later handed over to Anti-Terror Unit detectives for further questioning pending arraignment in court.