Four people were arrested after their attempt to express their creativity and go viral on social media went bad.
They were arrested for allegedly tarnishing the image of the Kenya Police Service.
The four, including a 17-year-old boy, created a video clip about a robbery taking place just outside a police station in Kilifi town.
Unbeknownst to them, police officers would not take the viral video, entitled ‘wezi mbele ya police station’ (robbery outside a police station)’, posted on TikTok lightly.
Police said they impounded the motorcycle used in the prank.
In the video, a man who appeared to be drunk came out of the Administration Police (AP) canteen and was robbed of his bag by two others on a waiting bodaboda.
The fourth suspect arrested, who is 18 years old, was the cameraman.
Kilifi North Sub-county Police Commander Kenneth Maina said police arrested the culprits after identifying them through a CCTV camera at the AP canteen.
He said the viral video of a daylight robbery at the Kilifi Administration Police canteen in Kilifi was not real but a prank by a group of youths creating content for their TikTok account.
The four were arrested at their homes in Kilifi, with the oldest being 27 years old.
Mr Maina said they were pursuing another suspect who was still at large.
He said the youths revealed that they wanted to attract followers to their TikTok account.
“There were five youths and we managed to arrest four of them,” he said.
The crew hired a bodaboda to ferry them around while they shot their video.
Police assured the public that Kilifi is safe and free from criminal activities.
Maina said police had launched investigations even as they prepared to prosecute the culprits.
“We have started investigations but they will be charged with various offences including cybercrimes,” he said.
The Kilifi AP canteen manager Roy Otieno, told police a stranger entered the facility, approached a waiter who was cleaning and asked for permission to shoot a video inside the premises.
The waiter refused to allow the stranger to film, but he and his accomplices proceeded to stage the prank robbery.
Such drama are on the rise as many seek to make money and presence online.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
