Julius Gacheru Wangari, also known as Chris, pictured following his arrest. Photo: DCI.
In Summary:
- A 30-year-old man was arrested for impersonating Spice FM presenter Eric Latiff.
- The suspect defrauded politicians and top managers by soliciting money under false pretenses.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a 30-year-old man on Wednesday for allegedly impersonating Spice FM presenter Eric Latiff to scam politicians and top managers.
The suspect was apprehended at his residence in the Zambezi area of Kikuyu in Kiambu County.
During the operation, officers seized several communication devices the suspect reportedly used to defraud his victims.
According to the DCI, the accused had been impersonating Eric Latiff by contacting guests who appeared on Latiff’s popular political talk show, The Situation Room.
Eric Latiff, a Spice FM presenter and KTN News anchor, pictured in the studio. PHOTO : Eric Latiff
“In the imposture dating back to 2023, the suspect has been personating journalist and radio host Eric Latiff of Standard Group’s Spice FM, reaching out to guests hosted by the media personality in his Situation Room show,” the DCI stated.
The suspect developed a pattern of sending thank-you messages to the guests and then requesting cash favors, which the unsuspecting victims sent.
“While in the guise, the suspect has been sending ‘thank you’ messages to the well-to-do guests after every show, but just as a pick-up line before embarking on his tactical gambits,” noted the detectives.
Among the victims were a Principal Secretary, a renowned businessman, a prominent politician, a high-ranking director at a government agency, and an official from a popular trade association.
The DCI indicated that the suspect, a diploma holder in journalism from a reputable media institution, had previously worked with a religious FM radio station.
Crucial evidence, including the SIM cards used to send messages to targeted victims and receive the solicited money, was recovered and sent to the Digital Forensic Laboratory for analysis.
“The SIM cards have since been surrendered to the Digital Forensic Laboratory for analysis,” the DCI officers noted.
A Milimani court has granted detectives at the Nairobi Regional Headquarters seven days to complete their investigation.