Three men have been arraigned before a Nairobi court over an alleged SIM swap fraud involving the mobile phone number of suspended Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam, which was reportedly used to defraud the public while he was in custody.
The accused, Amos Nzomo Kimanzi, James Mutemi Munyithya, and Dennis Masavi Musyimi, were presented at the Milimani Law Courts on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, computer fraud, unlawful use of an identity card, and obtaining registration by false pretenses.
The court heard that the suspects gained access to Talaam’s SIM card, which was being held as evidence by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), and used it between June 16 and 19, 2025, to contact and solicit money from the police boss’s family, lawyers, and associates.
According to the prosecution, the accused “fraudulently and dishonestly replaced SIM card No. 0722919880 belonging to Talaam Samson Kiprotich and unlawfully solicited money from members of the public for their own gain.”
In a dramatic turn, the third accused, Dennis Musyimi, pleaded guilty to three of the charges.
He admitted in court that he impersonated the suspended OCS and sent distress messages claiming to be in urgent need of financial help, just a day after Talaam was arrested in connection with the murder of blogger Albert Ojwang’.
Musyimi told the court he pretended to be Talaam and convinced unsuspecting individuals to send him money under false pretenses.
His co-accused, Nzomo and Munyithya, denied the charges.
Prosecutors further allege that James Munyithya, without authority, used an ID card belonging to Nzomo to fraudulently register a new SIM card later linked to the fraud. Nzomo, in turn, is accused of allowing his ID to be used by Munyithya “with intent to deceive.”
Musyimi also faces a separate charge of impersonation for allegedly presenting himself as Talaam to facilitate a fraudulent SIM card replacement.
“On June 16, 2025, within the Republic of Kenya, he willfully procured for another person the registration of SIM card replacement by claiming to be the said OCS Talaam Samson Kiprotich,” the charge sheet reads.
Magistrate Dolphina Alego ordered Musyimi to remain in custody at Industrial Area Remand Prison until Wednesday, August 20, when the prosecution will present the facts of the case for sentencing.
Nzomo and Munyithya were each released on a bond of Sh500,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh250,000, with two contact persons.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is continuing investigations into how sensitive personal items belonging to Talaam, including his national ID and SIM card, ended up being used by the accused, despite being under IPOA’s custody.
Talaam, currently suspended and facing separate murder charges over the death of blogger Ojwang’, has been listed as the complainant in the fraud case.
Key witnesses expected to testify include a Safaricom representative, a DCI cybercrime analyst, and the investigating officer.
The matter is scheduled for mention and further directio ns on today, August 20, 2025.
