Two Iranian nationals identified as Heidari Mansoior Eslam (56) and Babaei Ahmad Mirzaaga (40), arrested by detectives in Thika for scamming a businessman. Photo by DCI 
By Andrew Mbuva
Two Iranian nationals are in police custody after being arrested by detectives in Thika over an elaborate scam that reportedly defrauded a Kenyan shopkeeper of Sh15,000.
The suspects, identified as Heidari Mansoior Eslam (56) and Babaei Ahmad Mirzaaga (40), were apprehended following a dramatic incident at a mobile phone shop where they had posed as potential customers.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the pair walked into the shop pretending to be interested in purchasing a mobile phone. However, the shop attendant grew suspicious after recognizing the men as individuals he believed were linked to a similar theft at a nearby shop about a month earlier.
Acting swiftly, the shopkeeper contacted a fellow trader who soon arrived at the premises. Upon confronting the suspects, the second shopkeeper positively identified the two foreigners as the same individuals who had allegedly used deceptive tactics to swindle him out of Sh15,000 in an earlier incident.
An alarm was raised, attracting members of the public who threatened to mete out mob justice to the suspects. Police officers from Thika responded promptly, rescuing the two men from the agitated crowd and placing them under arrest.
The suspects are currently being held at Thika Police Station, where they are undergoing processing and further investigations. Authorities say they will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.
Police have urged business owners to remain vigilant and to report suspicious activities promptly to avoid falling victim to similar schemes.
