Night of Deception: How Senior Military Officer Lost Sh1.5 Million to Mchele Gang in Eldoret Club Scam
Nightlife in Eldoret was in full swing last Friday as clubgoers indulged in drinks and danced to booming music.
For one attendee, a senior military officer, the night would take a dark turn the following day.
He allegedly lost Sh1.5 million to a woman he had accompanied, according to a police report.
“The officer, who had traveled from Nairobi with a large sum of cash, decided to stop over in Eldoret to unwind. While at the club, a woman in skintight clothes stayed close, assisting him with drinks,” said a bouncer at the club who requested anonymity.
Taking Charge
The woman, described as a ‘stranger’ in the new city, appeared to be in control—ordering food and drinks, and making payments through M-Pesa using the officer’s phone.
They left the club at 3 a.m. The man woke up alone in a guest house they had booked. The woman had disappeared, reportedly after stealing cash and withdrawing money from his mobile phone through online banking and ATM transactions.
An unofficial report filed at an Eldoret police station stated that the man claimed to have lost more than Sh1.5 million.
Ironically, the victim seemed hesitant to allow the police to investigate, expressing concerns that it might affect his family.
“I’ve lost more than Sh1.5m to a woman I was with. Despite this, I don’t want to file a formal report as it might harm my family. I plan to handle the matter personally and will soon arrest the suspect,” the military officer told a police officer at Eldoret Central Station.
This incident highlights the rise of a crime known as “mchele” (rice), named after the rice-like appearance of the drugs used by criminals.
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The drug, also referred to as “Pishori,” is named after a popular rice variety.
In November 2023, Uasin Gishu County police commander Benjamin Mwanthi initiated an investigation into a nightclub in Eldoret linked to cases of drugging and theft.
Mr. Mwanthi’s directive came after a woman reportedly lost Sh38,000 at the club due to drugging and later filed a report at Eldoret Police Station.
A Surge in Cases
The past four months, over five cases of drugging have been reported in Eldoret courts.
In 2022, two women faced charges in an Eldoret court for drugging and robbing a senior telecom manager of cash and property worth Sh300,000 at his home in Kapsoya Estate, near Eldoret town.
In 2023, another woman was charged with drugging and stealing from a man at an Eldoret club.
These incidents are not isolated to Eldoret but are also prevalent in other urban centers across the country.
In January 2022, the DCI reported a case where a man in Mombasa lost Sh596,000 from his bank account after being drugged by a woman he met at a popular nightclub.
In July 2021, a man was charged with drugging and stealing Sh126,000 from a woman at a hotel in Kitengela, Kajiado County.
Investigations have uncovered that rogue pharmacists are supplying these stupefying drugs.
The drugs used by Pishori Ladies are often medical sedatives such as Rohypnol, Valium, and ketamine, among others.
High doses of these stupefying drugs can lead to slurred speech, difficulty concentrating, poor coordination, dizziness, nausea, and memory loss.
Night of Deception: How Senior Military Officer Lost Sh1.5 Million to Mchele Gang in Eldoret Club Scam
