Three men have appeared in court in Nairobi after being accused of stealing high-end mobile phones worth a total of KSh 2.8 million from multiple companies, including M-Kopa Kenya Limited.
The suspects β Jeremiah Njoroge, Marvine Wanguno, and Victor Kimani β were arraigned before Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego at Milimani Law Courts. They face several charges: stealing, handling stolen property, and possessing suspected stolen goods.
According to court papers, the alleged offenses occurred on August 4, 2025, at the Intermac Business Centre. First, the trio is accused of stealing six phones from M-Kopa worth KSh 800,000 β including a Samsung S23 Ultra, Samsung S24, Nokia G50, Samsung A03s, Samsung A12, and Samsung A13. Then they are charged with stealing three Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra phones from Mophone Kenya Limited valued at KSh 1 million.
The prosecutions also list an alternative charge that the men handled four phones β a Samsung A04s, a Samsung A05, and two more Samsung A05s β belonging to Watu Credit Kenya Limited. These phones, collectively valued at KSh 1 million, were allegedly retained even though the suspects knew or suspected they were stolen.
A third charge states that while in custody, the suspects were found in possession of a large haul of phonesβ23 Samsung, 13 Vivo, 2 Nokia, 1 LG, 1 Motorola, and 1 HMD deviceβall suspected to be stolen or unlawfully obtained. The prosecution added that many of these devices had their back covers removed, possibly to conceal their origins.
All three men pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court granted each a bond of KSh 2 million or KSh 1 million cash bail, along with two sureties. Defense lawyers argued that the bail was too high, but Magistrate Alego said she set the amount after weighing the serious value of the seized goods. The case is set for mention on August 27, 2025, when pre-trials will begin.
This case comes as part of a wider effort by police to break up mobile phone theft and unlocking syndicates that operate across Kenya. Investigations have revealed networks that steal or unlawfully unlock phonesβoften sold cheaply in informal marketsβbypassing payment systems, especially for pay-as-you-go models like M-Kopaβs.
Police and cybersecurity experts warn the public to be cautious. A stolen or illegally unlocked device may look like a bargain, but buying one could expose you to criminal charges or data theft. Authorities encourage consumers to purchase phones only from licensed dealers and to verify device history before buying second-hand.
This Nairobi case shows how organised and bold these syndicates have becomeβtargeting multiple businesses and using prepaid loan systems to mask their theft. Police say more arrests are coming as forensic analysis continues and investigators trace the full network behind the operation.
Featured image via Screengrab