Controversial blogger Edgar Obare has been arrested on allegations of running a network of criminals who blackmail wealthy Kenyans.
Obare alias ‘Tea Master’ was arrested on Thursday by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Cyber Crime Unity detectives.
The DCI says that it has uncovered an underworld network of criminals, involving young ladies, recruited by Obare.
The young ladies, reportedly stalk prominent personalities in political, business and religious circles, for monetary exploitation.
DCI alleges that the blogger then coaches the ladies on how to ensnare their victims into their traps, then extort huge amount of money from them.
‘Served tea’ gone south
The latest tea Edgar Obare served to his fans appears to have touched a raw nerve. It involves a prominent governor.
According to DCI, Obare coached one Desy Oduor Achieng to stalk the governor, with intention of minting KSh10 million from him.
“Obare had shared the governor’s number with her and instructed her to tell him that she was pregnant with his child & that she would tell the whole world about their little secret,” says the DCI.
The governor, reportedly did not fall for the duo’s trick. He did not respond. “She was instructed to threaten him that she would share photos that they had allegedly taken in compromising situations but the governor did not respond.”
Disgruntled that his plan was not working, Obare took to his social media pages accusing the governor of impregnating a lady and refusing to take responsibility.
All this while, DCI says Desy Oduor Achieng was not aware that “the serial fraudster” was taking screenshots of their conversations and her photos, which he posted alongside the pregnancy claims.
Desy Oduor Achieng decided to report the matter to DCI offices in Nyali, Mombasa County.
“Detectives have since established that the lady isn’t pregnant as she had claimed. Further, the lady has said that she has never met the governor, adding that she had only been recruited by Edgar, to extort money from the governor,” adds the DCI.
Desy Oduor Achieng was arrested alongside Edgar Obare. DCI says they will face charges of publishing false information, contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, 2018.
“Young ladies are cautioned to be wary of such fraudsters out to exploit them for their selfish gains and are advised to find alternative sources of income,” the DCI warns.