Nairobi News

Blogger Edgar Obare was on Thursday evening arrested for allegedly running a criminal network.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Obare allegedly runs a syndicate that blackmails wealthy Kenyans by tainting their images online and demanding cash to ‘clear’ them.

In a statement, DCI said the suspect with his alleged accomplice identified as Desy Oduor Achieng tried to obtain Sh10 million from a Kenyan governor whom he falsely accused of impregnating her.

“Detectives from the Cybercrime unit have uncovered an underworld network of criminals involving young ladies recruited by Obare, to stalk prominent personalities in political, business and religious circles for monetary exploitation, said the DCI.

“The ladies are then coached by Obare, on how to ensnare the victims into their traps then extort unimaginable sums of money from them,” it added.

Obare is said to have shared the governor’s number with Achieng and instructed her to tell the governor she was pregnant with his child and that she would go public with their ‘secret’.

“When the governor 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,” the DCI added.

Obare is then reported to have taken to social media, accusing the said governor of impregnating a woman and failing to take responsibility.

“Dejected that their plan wasn’t working, Obare took to his social media pages accusing the governor of impregnating a lady and failing to take responsibility. The supposedly pregnant lady wasn’t aware that, all along, he was taking screenshots of their conversations and her photos,” added DCI.

DCI said, fearing the repercussions of Obare’s actions, the said lady reported the matter to DCI offices in Nyali.

“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 Obare to extort money from the governor,” posted DCI.

The two will face charges of publishing false information contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act.

Last year, the controversial blogger was charged for unlawfully publishing private and personal details of a renowned YouTuber.

Obare was charged at the Kiambu Law Courts, where he pleaded not guilty and was released on Sh100,000 bail with an option of Sh300,000 bond.

The blogger runs a popular Instagram page specialising in local celebrity exposés.

Any person who commits an offence under Section 72 of the Data Protection Act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh3 million or to an imprisonment term not exceeding 10 years, or both.