Sheila Wakesho Matasa, the mastermind behind a string of fraudulent activities targeting holidaymakers in Nairobi, Kiambu, Kisumu, and Mombasa counties, has been apprehended by detectives in Kiambaa, Kiambu County.

The 24-year-old suspect was captured at a bank in Ruaka, a rapidly expanding satellite town, where she sought assistance after her account was frozen due to multiple suspicious transactions.

Wakesho's audacious scheme exploited both local and foreign tourists, as she meticulously crafted a facade on various social media platforms, claiming ownership of numerous Airbnbs in Mombasa.

Under aliases like Lifestyle Beachfront AirBnB, Mombasa Raha AirBnB, and Shah Tours, she amassed a following of over 10,000 unsuspecting enthusiasts.

Most notably, the content used to promote these purported luxury accommodations was plagiarized, with images bearing copyright ownership.

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In a carefully orchestrated operation, Wakesho lured her victims, who could only contact her online, to submit booking fees to Mpesa Till number 8981656 or Paybill number 400200, account name 01100252088001.

Once the funds were transferred, she disappeared, leaving her victims stranded at beaches, bus stations, SGR terminals, and airports.

To cover her tracks, Wakesho ingeniously used multiple subscriber SIM cards registered under different names, often employing stolen ID cards.

Notable among these are the numbers 0708 901 010, 0799 661 708, 0799 605 774, 0707 920 971, 0742 521 046, and 0788 370 306.

One crucial tip-off leading to her capture occurred when she duped a banker out of an undisclosed sum of money.

Unwilling to let the incident pass unnoticed, the vigilant banker promptly alerted the detectives, initiating a swift response that culminated in Wakesho's apprehension

In the aftermath of her apprehension, various DCI stations in the Nairobi region, including DCI Kilimani, Kasarani, Thika, Kiambaa, and DCI Kiambu, are diligently preparing case files for her arraignment.

Meanwhile, other counties where her crimes have been reported eagerly await her transfer for legal proceedings.