From: Collins Odhiambo

Hi.
This could happen to anyone just as it happened to these people.
A friend had to go through this.

Yeterday afternoon I went through an experience, I would not wish any other person to go through. My younger brother was mugged at Baricho road, just behind the Nakumatt Uhuru highway Supermarket, at around 12 noon, by thugs who were pretending to be athletes jogging along that road. They stole his phone too, and used the same to call my elder brother, who incidentally had just parted with the younger one about 30 minutes earlier, and headed to Upper Hill.

The thugs scrolled through this stolen phone and noticed that the last call made was from his brother as he had saved it as brother. They called my elder brother, claiming to be policemen from Langata station and that my younger brother had been hit by a vehicle and had died instantly, and that they were on their way to City Morgue to drop his body there, so they wanted my elder brother to link up with them at a point along Uhuru Highway , near Bunyala Road, where they had parked their vehicle with the remains of my brother before proceeding to city mortury. (Please note..the notorious spot where the KQ pilot was mugged ).

Since they spoke with a lot of confidence, just like the police do, my brother could not suspected anything. So my bother called me and a few other people. We linked up so worried and sorrowful and with a lot of grieve ,knowing that that’s where everyone of us will pass through some day . We gathered at a point in Upper Hill to figure out our next move; either to go to the accident site and confirm or to join the said police where they had told my elder brother to meet them or just plan on the next move to take.

Just by sheer luck and God’s grace, and indeed a good coincidence, even before we could think of going to view the body and confirm as they had said, I got a call from a simu ya jamii number and it was my younger brother whom we had been told had been killed by the car accident. He said he was safe and that the muggers only took his phone .He was calling to inform us just in case we call and we don’t get him on his phone, we know he is just fine.

As you can imagine this was a huge relieve that not only confirmed that he was fine and alive but also that it was a planned plot by the muggers that somebody goes to the said Bunyala junction and of course get mugged or who knows…

I thought of the many other people who would be tricked this way and I thought we could play it safe by letting lots of people get to know of this trick being played in Nairobi. Anyone could easily fall for this trap and the more we forward this, the more people will know and avoid such tricks.

I also learnt some few lessons:

* Avoid saving in your phone books names as brother, sister, mom ,dad, wife, husband and the like. It gives them an edge should you loose your phone.

* Never rush to meet any stranger telling you to meet them, especially in risky places which you could easily identify as a risky.

* Always memorize at least two most important numbers which you can call from any other phone should something like this get hold of you.

* Always try and get means to alert people who are close to you once you loose your phone.

* Ensure to call atleast the two numbers and alert them that your phone is stolen and that you are safe incase such calls come their way.
* Finally do not resist if confronted by thugs. Especially if you are alone they might end up hurting you.

* Please forward to your friends too.