Emmanuel Kiprono, a notorious sim swap fraudster, has been apprehended by detectives based in Thika.

The arrest came as Kiprono attempted to replace a SIM card at a Safaricom shop, armed with a forged ID waiting card and a police abstract form purportedly issued by Central Police Station-Nairobi.

Detectives, acting swiftly, interrogated Kiprono, which led them to a residence in Zimmerman.

At the house, they discovered a cache of incriminating evidence, including a mobile phone used for sim registration, assorted sim replacement cards, forged police abstract forms and waiting cards bearing different names, an M-PESA till number application booklet, several ID cards, and various other items.

This arrest closely follows a similar incident in which Kiprono's accomplice, Everline Alulu Kimani, was apprehended on September 19, 2023.

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Like Kiprono, Kimani had presented herself at a Safaricom shop, using counterfeit documents to deceive attendants while attempting to steal from unsuspecting victims' mobile money wallets.

A search of Kimani's residence in Komarock-Nairobi uncovered paper writings containing confidential customer information, further implicating her in the criminal operation.

Kiprono and Kimani are believed to be part of the notorious Mulot team, known for their audacious tactics in targeting individuals with substantial mobile money balances.

Once in possession of the victims' phone numbers through sim swaps, they proceed to drain their accounts, leaving financial ruin in their wake.


The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) expressed gratitude for the vigilance of the Safaricom attendants who promptly alerted the police to the suspicious activities of Kiprono and Kimani.

The DCI also urged members of the public to join efforts in combating such crimes.

As the investigation unfolds, a manhunt for several other accomplices, whose identities have come to light, remains ongoing.

Authorities are committed to bringing all involved parties to justice and putting an end to this criminal network preying on unsuspecting mobile money users.