I make a living exposing cheating couples- private investigator

ENOCH MAIYA had no idea the business of private investigation was so profitable when he ventured into it back in 2010. He shares how he made a career out of investigating cheating spouses:

Tell us why you majored in cheating cases as a private investigator.

Well, in my business as a private investigator, surveillance and cheating in relationships and marriage is the main source of private investigators' income. Due to advances in communication technology, cases of infidelity have increased day in and day out.

There is no gender that I can say cheat more than the other, all are doing it. When I saw the demand for clients who wanted to follow up on their cheating partners was high, I specialised my private investigation arena on cheating.

I also have a great passion for this job.

I like seeing people doing the right thing at the right time and have a passion for helping people. I like truth, am keen on detail and I'm focused.

When did you start this business?

I officially launched this business in 2019 although I had been doing private investigation under some other agencies for several years. I can say I have several years of experience and this helps me in doing work that satisfies the expectations of customers.

Give us a tidbit on what makes someone suspect his or her partner of cheating.

Before someone comes to me, he or she must have gauged the probability of cheating from several factors, although not all indicate the person is cheating. Behavioural change, reduced communication and or attention, change of phone passwords, and coming home late among others are some of the things that raise eyebrows among couples.

Other red flags include coming home later than usual with frequent excuses, hiding phone or computer passwords, unexplained business or work trips, switching the phone off at some point, deleting WhatsApp and text messages once read, being withdrawn from the family, unwillingness to have intimacy, smelling perfumes among other things.

Between men and women, who are easier to handle when doing cheating investigations?

It is easier to handle women than men because most men are secretive and are afraid of divulging personal or sensitive information. This makes our work as private investigators difficult because before you find out the evidence, you have to dig a lot. This is unlike women who before coming to you to see your services, have already done their investigation and will divulge everything you need to know. This makes our work easier as we are only left with confirming the suspicions.

Have you had any special training for the job?

Yes, I'm a graduate of Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and an additional certificate in Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting (FEFA) from West Virginia University. I also worked with a private investigation agency here in Nairobi where I got experience and skills before venturing out on my own.

How much do you charge clients needing your services?

I charge per client and the intricacies of the services needed. Factors I take into consideration include the person's status, type of vehicle driven, and distance among others. I'm sometimes forced to charge per hour which varies depending on the city; town or location. No one case is the same as the other so the charges will never be the same.

The price ranges from Sh35,000 to Sh100,000 per individual case and on a good month, I can get up to four cases. I can say that for now, this is good money that keeps me going and paying my bills.

How exactly do you conduct your investigations on infidelity matters?

When a client shows up and needs my services, I ask them to table the tell-tale signs that make them suspect so. My work is to conduct a follow-up for confirmation. There are also times I have to use special tools and software such as those involved in tracking someone's WhatsApp conversations, calls or regular messages and provide the needed evidence.

Most of those who come to us need someone who is neutral, confidential and trustworthy to air their problems. A person will only track someone cheating after learning of the behavioural change.

They may talk to their partner several times but nothing changes. At some point, a client may see a change in behaviour but after an investigation, something else comes up. From experience, not all who have behavioural change are cheaters.

What is your greatest challenge?

Due to the high demand for clients, I need to expand my business to the point that I can meet the demands. Another challenge is the risks involved. Although you can get a client satisfied, the other party may feel angry and harm you.