- The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) arrested 26-year-old Seth Mwabe on August 30, 2025, in connection with a cybercrime operation that allegedly siphoned Ksh 11.4 million from a betting company.
- The arrest is one of several high-profile cybercrime cases in Kenya in recent years, which have targeted corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
On August 30th, 2025, the bank fraud prevention unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) conducted a raid on the residence of Seth Mwabe.
The 26-year-old IT student was accused of organizing cybercrime operations that defrauded a popular betting company of millions of shillings.
Mwabe is an alumnus of Meru University, where he left during his second year of studying Information Technology (IT).
His LinkedIn profile identifies him as a ‘cybersecurity specialist’ and states he has worked as a cybersecurity expert for at least three companies.
Seth Mwabe’s Allegations and Investigation
According to the DCI, Mwabe posed as a cybersecurity engineer. His most recent heist is alleged to have involved hacking the payment system of a popular betting company, where he stole sh 11.4 million.
At first, the betting firm was not aware of what was going on. However, they soon realized that copious amounts of cash were inexplicably disappearing from their payment service provider.
Mr. Abraham Mugambi, DCI’s Central Investigating Officer, stated that the company reported the theft in July of this year.
“This year in July, a payment service provider reported losing Ksh 11.4 million through fraudulent means. Our investigations established that the fraudsters managed to breach the system’s security protocols and siphon the funds,” said Mr. Mugambi.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the culprit was none other than Seth Mwabe. Consequently, DCI officers swiftly tracked him and raided his two-bedroom apartment at Tatu City.
Inside, they found a fully equipped computer laboratory, complete with high-end computers, monitors, and other software used by hackers and cybersecurity professionals.
Upon confrontation, Mwabe defended himself by saying that he was not a hacker and instead works as a freelance cybersecurity consultant, an occupation he has been pursuing since 2017.
He added that he was testing a new software that he had developed, which unexpectedly siphoned funds from the betting company to his accounts.
“I wanted to return it, but I got busy, that’s when DCI came knocking. You can take the money and let me continue with my life,” Mwabe told investigators.
Recent history of cybercrime incidents in Kenya
Seth Mwabe joins an infamous list of high-profile Kenyan hackers who looted millions of shillings from financial institutions and individuals.
In 2017, police reported uncovering a sophisticated hacking syndicate led by Calvin Otieno Ogalo, a 35-year-old former police officer and IT expert. The operation targeted several high-profile companies and parastatals, including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and a supermarket chain.
The hackers conducted a series of cyber attacks and installed malware into the computer systems of these companies, which allowed them to steal regular sums of money undetected.
They operated from Nairobi CBD, Roysambu Muthaiga, and Thika. By the time the police caught up with them in March 2017, they had stolen hundreds of millions of shillings.
In 2022, two students from Kenyatta University made headlines when they were arrested and charged as cybercriminals by the DCI.
The students who were aged 25 and 26 were part of a Nakuru-based syndicate that hacked people’s credit cards, used them to purchase bitcoins, and converted the bitcoins into Kenyan currency.
They would then use the money to entertain ladies, buy luxury property, and live lavishly.
More recently, three suspects were apprehended by DCI in May after hacking and siphoning ksh 3 million from a victim’s bank account. The suspects ambushed the victim by ramming his car on both sides as he drove to Pangani along Racecourse Road.
They stole his phone and used his SIM card to hack his bank accounts, and then proceeded to siphon the money and transfer it to numerous other bank accounts and SIM cards.
The Communication Authority of Kenya estimates that Kenya recorded an all-time high of 2.5 billion cybersecurity incidents in the first quarter of 2025, marking a staggering 207.1% rise from 2024.