Sharp Boys! How 5 suspects created a fake Bamburi Cement website and conned a woman out of Ksh 742,000 in online fraud

Thursday, November 5, 2026 - Detectives have arrested five suspects accused of creating a fake Bamburi Cement website and defrauding a woman of KSh742,000 in an elaborate online shopping scam.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the incident dates back to August 2025, when the complainant was looking for 1,400 bags of cement for a family construction project in Ruiru.

She stumbled upon a website purporting to represent Bamburi Cement PLC and contacted the number provided.

 She was subsequently directed to WhatsApp, where negotiations were conducted.

The deal was sealed at KSh530 per bag, with the woman receiving an invoice demanding KSh742,000.

She was instructed to transfer the full amount through RTGS to a local bank account purportedly held in the name of Bamburi Cement Limited.

On August 23, 2025, she transferred the money, expecting the cement to be delivered.

However, the consignment never arrived, and attempts to reach the supposed supplier proved futile.

She later contacted Bamburi Cement PLC and discovered that the company had no knowledge of the transaction, prompting her to report the matter to the police.

Investigations established that the website, telephone number and invoice were fraudulent and had no affiliation with the cement manufacturer.

Further financial investigations traced the money from an account operated by Florence Atieno Okoth to another account operated by Emmanuel Wekesa, alias Brian Mulumba.

The funds were subsequently withdrawn through ATM transactions in Kitengela Town.

Following an intelligence-led operation in Uasin Gishu and Nairobi counties, detectives arrested five suspects identified as Florence Atieno Okoth, Dickson Alalwa Mabati, Kevin Ongaya Were, Kelvin Kibet Keter and Emmanuel Wekesa, alias Brian Mulumba.

The five suspects have since been arraigned in court and charged accordingly.

The DCI has cautioned members of the public against online shopping scams, urging prospective buyers to verify websites, sellers, payment details and business transactions before sending money.

The agency has reiterated its commitment to pursuing cyber-enabled fraudsters, dismantling criminal networks and ensuring that those involved in financial crimes are brought to justice.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.