Detectives are investigating the mysterious disappearance of two men along the Narok-Mai Mahiu highway, an incident that has caused widespread alarm in Bomet and Narok counties, where the men originate.
The case has also sent shockwaves through the cybercriminal underworld, as police suspect connections to fraudulent activities.
The men vanished on December 5 while traveling from Nairobi to Bomet in the company of a woman. Their journey came to a halt in the Mutarakwa area when their Toyota Prado was ambushed.
Masked individuals shot out the vehicle’s tires and abducted the occupants into a waiting car, according to police reports. The Prado in question had previously been intercepted in October 2022 while ferrying sandalwood worth Sh2 million along the Nakuru–Nyahururu highway.
Chepalungu Subcounty Police Commander Panton Analo confirmed that authorities are actively collaborating with the victims’ families to trace their whereabouts, following leads in the investigation.
Speculations surrounding the incident suggest that the men, aged 34 and 28, could have been targeted by associates over disputes involving fraudulent deals. Separate accounts propose that they may have staged their own disappearance to mislead their associates into believing they were apprehended by law enforcement.
There is also speculation that vengeful victims of their scams, which allegedly include SIM swapping, credit card fraud, and phishing, may be behind their abduction.
Police reveal that the two men are suspected members of an elaborate cybercrime syndicate that exploits mobile network vulnerabilities to commit financial fraud. Such operations allow the criminals to withdraw money from victims’ accounts and conduct large-scale scams. They are also believed to have recruited numerous youths in Bomet County to specialize in cybercrime tactics such as social engineering.
This incident has highlighted the growing threat of cybercrime in Kenya, where millions of shillings are stolen daily.
Cybersecurity experts are urging the public to remain vigilant by adopting safety measures, such as activating two-factor authentication, creating strong passwords, and safeguarding sensitive credit card information.
They also warn against sharing card details with anyone or falling prey to phishing schemes designed to extract sensitive financial information.
Authorities have intensified efforts to combat these criminal networks, but cybercriminals continue to evolve their tactics, exploiting loopholes in the digital era.
