Kenyan Hacker Arrested for Stealing $87,000 from SportPesa Betting Firm

^{Pictured: Seth Mwabe Okwanyo, Kenyan hacker}

Kenyan police have arrested 26-year-old Seth Mwabe Okwanyo on suspicion of siphoning KSh 11.4 million (around $87,000), Pulse Live Kenya reports. Investigators allege he exploited vulnerabilities in Afrisend Money Transfer Limited, a payment provider linked to the betting firm SportPesa.

According to police, Mwabe carried out 38 transactions through a Diamond Trust Bank account using the PesaLink platform. During a search of his apartment, officers seized servers, several laptops and phones, a banknote counter, and a safe.

At a hearing in early September, Mwabe told the court he had dropped out of university in his second year, now works in cybersecurity, and was merely testing his own software when the funds “unexpectedly ended up” in his account.

However, investigators claim the suspect withdrew the money via a fraudulent Telegram bot for personal gain.

Authorities asked the court to remand Mwabe in custody for 20 days to obtain evidence from Telegram, satellite internet provider Starlink, mobile payment system M-Pesa, and the Kenya Bankers Association.

According to Kenyan media, the court granted Mwabe release on bond of KSh 1 million — about $7,700. The case remains under investigation, with final conclusions and possible charges pending the results of digital forensics and banking audits.