The family of Seth Mwabe, a university dropout accused of hacking a betting firm and stealing Sh11.4 million, have thanked the police for protecting their son while he was in police custody.
Speaking at their home in Wasimbete Ward, Suna West Sub-County, Migori, while welcoming him back home on Thursday night, his father, Pastor Kennedy Mwabe, said that he received the news that his son was in the news while attending to church matters.
Seth Mwabe, a 26-year-old Meru University IT dropout, was released on an Sh500,000 bond on September 3, after being accused of hacking into a major betting firm’s system and stealing KSh11.4 million.
The court ruled that detectives failed to provide adequate grounds to continue holding the suspect, who was arrested at his apartment in Tatu City, Kiambu County on August 30 by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
While granting bond on September 3, Magistrate Ben Mark Ekubi cautioned Mwabe against interfering with the ongoing probe into the high-profile cyber fraud case.
According to the DCI report, the betting firm made a complaint in July where the Banking Fraud Unit detectives launched an investigation and established that the fraud was done through bypassing the payment service provider security systems.
Mwabe, who describes himself as a cybersecurity engineer and consultant, had told investigators that part of his expertise involves testing vulnerabilities in payment systems.
His father said that he was surprised by what the police seized in his house, labelling his son as a shy and quiet person who does not socialise much with others.
On August 30 this year, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit uncovered a makeshift computer lab in his two-bedroom apartment in Tatu City complete with advanced servers, laptops, a money-counting machine and a safe in the suspect’s apartment.
He thanked the Capitol Hill police station for receiving him and treating his son well. He also thanked Gen Z for coming and morally supporting his son, as well as the media and the court for playing their part in ensuring his son returns home safely.
The father, however, asked the government to review the education system and create more job opportunities for Gen Z.
Philip Mwabe, the uncle of Seth, said that they will counsel Seth to ensure he is integrated well in society, urging the state to tap into his knowledge rather than dwelling so much on negativity.
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