Popular Instagram celebrity Tim Dafina is under police custody after he was arrested over a Sh. 38 million gold scam, Nairobi News can authoritatively report.
Dafina, whose real name is Tim Orao Shikalo was arrested on Sunday, July 13.
News of Dafina’s arrest was first made public by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) through it’s official social media pages.
According to DCI, the flamboyant Instagramer who has been a key suspect and in the police radar in the specific gold scam was nabbed by detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) for his role in a serious gold scam that saw a foreign investor lose Sh. 38 million.
Dafina’s arrest blew wide an ongoing police investigation that saw the apprehension of Steve Okoth Odek, also known as David Bett in December 7, 2024.
Earlier reports indicate that Odek was arraigned and subsequently charged in connection with the same fraudulent scene.
DCI disclosed that the scam involved fake gold purchase contracts totalling over 1,080 kilograms, with false promises of secure delivery, guaranteed collateral and fraudulent legal facilitation.
Police investigations revealed that the purported gold was just a mixture of zinc, copper and tin with no traces of what the victim expected.
Nairobi News has learnt Tim Dafina is currently under police custody and undergoing processing ahead of his arraignment in court.
Dafina’s arrest sparked mixed reactions online with countless Kenyans revealing details on how they knew the suspect.
Popular YouTuber Rodgers Lugose shared the post by DCI and disclosed how Dafina was once a famous personality in the Kenyan social media space.
“Huyu jamaa niki join Facebook 2009 alikuwa anatesa. His name was TIM DAFINA,” Lugose wrote on Facebook.
His post attracted countless reactions from many netizens.
One Oloo Shadrack commented;
“Tim was always part of Wash wash .
Sad sikuingia in their gang .
I used to provide him clothes from one of my shops back in the days .
Anyway he owned legitimate business like a Kindergarten, Joghurt company etc
Nigejua that atakuwa full time Wash wash ..I would be rich rich rich 🤑. He used to tip very well and his baby mama (the first one )would always buy a lot of new clothes for him from us.”
“Bro was getting them baddies like no one’s business,” Simon Irunch stated.
“Si alisumbua Kule IG🤣🤣🤣🤣
Na people knew Ni laundry Mart Geng Geng,” Ivy Mauwa wrote.
Dama Muthanje said;
“I was wondering why he looked familiar. Kumbe ni Dafina.”
“Nishawahi waona hapo kilimani meza wamechafua mpaka unashindwa wewe ulikuja kufanya nini kwa bar 😂,” Princess Shirley posted.
